Help! No water at all!

Bronnie

My house is toasty warm but no water from the mains tap at all this morning.

Where the water comes in at the front of the property the previous owner fitted an outside tap on a pipe which rises up about 15". This pipe is well lagged and is actually sheltered by a large shrub which has grown in front so is not totally exposed.

The water comes into the house through a grey plastc pipe in the porch (unheated) and then along an interior wall. I have had the hairdryer on the porch pipe for about half an hour and the sun is on the porch now, but still no water. Neighbours all have water, just me.

Anything I can do to help myself, please?

Gene_Hunt_2

Maybe someone turned off your outside stopcock.

Bronnie

Gene_Hunt wrote: »

Maybe someone turned off your outside stopcock.

In the road you mean? Just checked it's all covered with ice and snow and hasn't been disturbed!

latecomer

I would suspect the pipe coming from the outside tap. Your description isn't that clear on where this is connected to but I would concentrate on that area first.

Bronnie

latecomer wrote: »

I would suspect the pipe coming from the outside tap. Your description isn't that clear on where this is connected to but I would concentrate on that area first.

The pipe rises up about 15" from the mains in front of the porch and the tap is attached, that pipe is well lagged. It then goes in through the wall of the porch at skirting board level (narrow grey plastic pipe) through the cloakroom and then behind the kitchen units, but my house is well-heated except for porch area.

Could it be the first section of lagged upright pipe outside that has frozen do you think? if so, is there anything I can do?

Thank you for replying

latecomer

That would be the most likely place. Is it plastic or copper?

I would take the lagging off of and wrap a hot towel round it and keep warming it up to see if that solves the problem.

Bronnie

This is where it comes in to the porch, have just cut back the shrub to get at it. The upper lagged pipe is to the tap, the lower pipe in the pic is lagged, but the elbow is not. The second pic shows where the plastic pipe comes through the exterior wall into the porch.

Inactive

I would carefully run a hair dyer, back and forward along the pipe, giving particular attention to the exposed elbow.

Leave a tap slightly open within ear shot, you will then know if it is freeing up.

Bronnie

Thank you all! Have just rigged up hairdryer and extension lead over the elbow and the water is running again. Bit tricky to know how to insulate it. have just wedged an old car sponge over and around it and covered the lot with a thick old towel for now. Any suggestions? Will leaving the tap running slightly at night (waste I know, but not on a water meter) help prevent it happening again tonight?

Thanks again.

latecomer

I would just get some more pipe lagging and make sure its insulated at all points. I would cover the towel with a plastic bag to top it getting wet and then freezing.

Inactive

Agreed, in the meantime cover it with anything that will help protect it, old towels, old jumpers etc.