Avoiding burst pipes

[Eamon Avis]

A few years ago during a winter flight I struck up a conversation with a guy who told me that while away the previous winter he had six burst pipes in his old stone built house. The pipes had frozen and fractured at the joints. He lived near Vives. He had turned off the water at the mains stop cock but had not drained the system.

I had done the same thing as I thought that it would never get cold enough in the south of France to freeze pipes. How stupid of me when you only have to look at the Canigou in winter to see the effect of altitude on temperature. Fortunately for me that year it had not been cold enough to freeze any pipes.

So, when away in winter the safest thing to do is to drain the system and your radiators if you have them. Before you leave flush the WC and put plenty of salt in the pan trap. You could alternatively put colourless anti-freeze in the pan but the colourants in car anti-freeze may stain the pan.

Even though I open all the taps taking care with the mixer taps to empty both hot and cold pipes not a great deal of water comes out and the big Pacific hot water tank does not empty( but it is well insulated). Also a friend in Canada told me to leave the taps, except the mains stop cock, slightly open because if any water remains in the system and it freezes it will prevent pressure building up in the pipe and it is the pressure which normally causes the pipe to burst.

[mrob343]

A few years ago during a winter flight I struck up a conversation with a guy who told me that while away the previous winter he had six burst pipes in his old stone built house. The pipes had frozen and fractured at the joints. He lived near Vives. He had turned off the water at the mains stop cock but had not drained the system.

I had done the same thing as I thought that it would never get cold enough in the south of France to freeze pipes. How stupid of me when you only have to look at the Canigou in winter to see the effect of altitude on temperature. Fortunately for me that year it had not been cold enough to freeze any pipes.

So, when away in winter the safest thing to do is to drain the system and your radiators if you have them. Before you leave flush the WC and put plenty of salt in the pan trap. You could alternatively put colourless anti-freeze in the pan but the colourants in car anti-freeze may stain the pan.

Even though I open all the taps taking care with the mixer taps to empty both hot and cold pipes not a great deal of water comes out and the big Pacific hot water tank does not empty( but it is well insulated). Also a friend in Canada told me to leave the taps, except the mains stop cock, slightly open because if any water remains in the system and it freezes it will prevent pressure building up in the pipe and it is the pressure which normally causes the pipe to burst.

You've forgot something Eamon...
Switch the electricity off,at the edf trip!
Then make sure you've left nothing in the fridge or freezer
Joking apart,there's some good advice there for all of you that come and go during the winter months.
I'm always being called out to burst and fractured pipes or fittings over the winter.
It can be avoided by following the advice above.

[Roger O]

Ssshhhh, Rob, how selfless, putting yourself out of potential work this winter!!

[mrob343]

Ssshhhh, Rob, how selfless, putting yourself out of potential work this winter!!

Dont worry Rog,
I'll still be called out anyway,not all of my clients know of the AD forum.

[Roger O]

Dont worry Rog,
I'll still be called out anyway,not all of my clients know of the AD forum.

Are you sure - after all the "Kate in Collioure" publicity??