outside tap causing cold pipe to kitchen sink to freeze?

latecomer

we've got an issue with the cold pipe to the kitchen sink freezing. Hot tap works fine. they both run next to each other under the floor of the new extension so although I suspected lthe pipes under the floor to the source of the problem if this was the case I'd expect both of them to be frozen . Cold water to the rest of the house is fine and obviuosly to the boiler as we are getting hot water. It froze once when it was very cold about 2 weeks ago (-14 overnight) but OH left the sink cupboard door open and turned the TRV up and it thawed out which also makes me think the problem is under the floor.

The only real difference between the pipes is the cold has a connection for an outside tap which comes off just before the sink. I did lag the pipes as much as possible below the sink but this obviously hasn't helped when the temperature gets really low (approx -10 to -12 degrees last night). Last time i

few questions

1 . is the outside tap likely to get cold enough to cause the internal pipe to freeze? Its probably about 8-10 inches to the side of the main pipe.

2. is it possible that the hot water pipe is getting some residual warmth from the boiler and in fact it is under the floor that the problem is?

3. I have not attempted to thaw out and drain the outside tap. should I try this?

Any other possibilities or thoughts?

Thanks

Mankysteve

Are you able ti isolate and drain the outside tap?. Also lagging the pipework under the floor wouldn't be a bad idea.

latecomer

thanks for the reply.

The outside tap is isolated but not drained. I'm going to try and do this tonight.

Is it likely to be able to cause the the cold pipe to freeze?


I dont know whether the pipes are lagged under the floor and there is no access without lifting the floor and cutting holes in the floorboards and given its only just been completed I'm not that keen on doing so if I can possibly avoid it.

I took a lot of photos when the work was being done and I'm going to have a look through them tonight to see if I have any of the pipes to see if there is any lagging.

ormus

with these very low temps recently, its certanly possible that any icing up can travel back along the pipe for 12 inches or so.
ive seen ice slugs about 4ft long.

latecomer

Thats what I was thinking. I'll try unthawing the outside tap tonight and see how it goes.

ormus

possible -15c/-20c tonite. uk wide.
-17c in belfast today!

we dont normally see these sort of temps in the uk. hence so many problems this year.

latecomer

Yeah I appreciate its a little chilly but I still dont expect internal pipes to freeze.

BARGAINHUNTER!

Not a solution, but as a quick fix get a hairdryer on the pipe to defrost it. Mine froze this morning and thats what I did - quick 5 min blast with hairdryer on full blast sorted it! These temperatures are unprecidented, and I know lots of people who have got frozen pipes this year where they never had them before.

latecomer

Thats what OH did last time so I'll give it a shot tonight to try and get things going and drain the outside tap.

ormus

you can try opening the kitchen sink doors and putting a small fan heater in there for an hour or so.

tracy2008_2

my outdoor outlet pipe has been freezing up this year, a few kettles of hot water solved the situation, but if this wether continues or happens every year im going to need some protection for the pipe, lookied on the b+q website for protection but nothing wide enough for my pipe anyone got any ideas. sick of the sink overflowing when the washer empties and the sink emptying very slowly, thinking i had a blockage i checked the pipework under the sink and found nothing but have now caused a slow drip grrr