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Small Cabin Forum / General Forum / At what temps will water pipes freeze?
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justincasei812
Member
# Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:27 - Edited by: justincasei812
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I am in a bit of a dilemma. I have a cabin that is off grid but do have indoor plumbing with a well and a generator for electric. I left the cabin yesterday midday with the outside temps in the mid 40's lows about 30 with the plan of having a buddy coming up to hunt this morning. I just got word that he will not be able to go up and the cabin has been left unheated since yesterday with water left in the pipes. The highs for today are supposed to be around 43 and low of 32. Tomorrow the high is only 33 (all in Fahrenheit). I will be up there as the sun goes down and can turn on the heat again. Do you think the pipes will freeze during this time?? Do I drive the two hours tonight to warm the cabin drain the pipes to drive back down in the morning and go back up after work or take my chances that the pipes won't freeze? All pipes are under a crawl space under the cabin with no insulation, normally I would have drained them but with about a 16 hour turn around with no heat and the cabin being warm I figured I would have been ok.

I also shut the water off at the pump so there would be no pressure in the pipes so just in case they did break over night nothing would really happen other than a split in the pipe but no water spraying anyplace.

Salty Craig
Member
# Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:51
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It all depends on circumstances. If totally open under cabin, one night below 30F can do the trick. If cabin is on crawl space, the radiant heat from the ground will protect them from frost until you have a prolonged cold snap. All interior pipes should be fine untill frigid weather sets in. Some afternoon sunshine will heat the cabin up a bit and that should get you thru a night or three in the low 30's but not teens or single digits. Again, it's all in the circumstances.

Salty Craig

justincasei812
Member
# Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:59
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The crawl space is protected (wood skirting). I would think it should be ok but don't want to replace a lot of pipes over two nights and a day of 30 degree temps. I should have known better and drained the pipes before I left yesterday and all would be good!! ugh.

Truecabin
Member
# Posted: 23 Nov 2013 21:15 - Edited by: Truecabin
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if 32 outside the ground heat might be 33 under the cabin

you need the real temp to be exactly or warmer than the forecast

if any section has a little plug froze up you will need to get it flowing to drain it so bring your toy box it could start to get real important if you cant drain and tomorrow its getting colder

you may have to cut a pipe so bring repair unions and stuff

pondjumpr
Member
# Posted: 26 Nov 2013 15:46
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Well, did it freeze? Hopefully you didn't have any issues when you got back.

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