Frozen pipes, underground.

[ironhorsedriver]

It's so cold here that my well has frozen. Pipes in house and to the house from water treatment system are fine and have water. I don't suppose anyone knows any ideas?

[Toastedturningtidelegs]

Your well? Do you mean your pump?

[Carl]

Need more details...

How deep the well,what kind of pump,how deep are the pipe buried?

[ironhorsedriver]

Yea, I'm assuming the pump. I can drain water at the water treatment tanks. Clorine tank is water, so is salt tank. I don't know depth, was in when I bought the house. This house is a plumbing nightmare, half the house was built in the 1800's the other half added on in the 1970's. I've got my dryer vent running into the treatment shed, where the pump also comes in. I guess it's just wait until temps return above frezzing.

[Carl]

Yea, I'm assuming the pump. I can drain water at the water treatment tanks. Clorine tank is water, so is salt tank. I don't know depth, was in when I bought the house. This house is a plumbing nightmare, half the house was built in the 1800's the other half added on in the 1970's. I've got my dryer vent running into the treatment shed, where the pump also comes in. I guess it's just wait until temps return above frezzing.

Where is the tank and the pressure switch?
The short 1/8 pipe nipple to the switch will freeze easily.

[Toastedturningtidelegs]

Where is the tank and the pressure switch?
The short 1/8 pipe nipple to the switch will freeze easily.

If the house was built in the 1800s he may have a shallow well but even then I have never heard of a well freezing....a pump yes! Sounds like he needs to get the pump enclosed and get a heat source out there somehow!

[ironhorsedriver]

Actually I do have it enclosed, and foam insulation up. There are small gaps, but otherwise good. I've got a dryer vent running into it also, providing periodic heat source. I pulled the cap off today and the pump is running, I tried to see if I could prime it with water. Still no go, 0 on the gauge at the pressure switch. I'm going to try putting a heat lamp in tomorrow. It's 9 degrees with snow right now.
I'm in a small , very small valley, sandwiched between mountains. The creek runs through my pastures, so I'm pretty close to the water table by my reckoning. not suppose to even come close to above freezing until Tuesday, and only 34, briefly. What a headache.

[NHSparky]

Depends on how deep the line from the wellhead to the house is.  It should have been at least 4 feet down (mine is I think 7-8 feet) and insulated.

[Carl]

Actually I do have it enclosed, and foam insulation up. There are small gaps, but otherwise good. I've got a dryer vent running into it also, providing periodic heat source. I pulled the cap off today and the pump is running, I tried to see if I could prime it with water. Still no go, 0 on the gauge at the pressure switch. I'm going to try putting a heat lamp in tomorrow. It's 9 degrees with snow right now.
I'm in a small , very small valley, sandwiched between mountains. The creek runs through my pastures, so I'm pretty close to the water table by my reckoning. not suppose to even come close to above freezing until Tuesday, and only 34, briefly. What a headache.

Let`s start from scratch.

What exactly is your water source,a drilled deep well with a  pump in the bottom or a shallow well/spring with an external pump like this..



I am confused when you say the pump is running,if it is a shallow well external one that has lost it`s prime then it will have gotten real hot by now.

[ironhorsedriver]

It is adrop in pump. Probably wrong term but its in the well itself. I have the breaker off eight now. Don't want to burn it out.
I have a water treatment system. It consists of two small tanks with timers, a large center tank, salt box and clorine tank. I'm in WV, we have high sulfur water.  With the breaker on, the small timer, motor on the tanks run, the well pump is running, by ear only. The saly box fills with water, and overflows. The small metering motor for mixing the clorine, etc is also running. Where the well water comes up by pipe, there is a small pressure switch with a gauge, next to the water tank, 0 pressure reads there. This is before it enters the treatment system, hence my belief that the problem must be between there and the pump. The water in the salt tank, my guess, is only water already in the system. I can try to drain water at the bottom of the large storage tank and get nothing.

[longview]

I agree with Carl on the pipe nipple being most likely to freeze.

Otherwise suspect your pump has a mechanical problem unrelated to the cold.  It just seems that's when they go out, or we remember those times the most.  You would still hear the motor run, but not get any draw from the well.

Out here, I put a heat lamp used for warming chilled calves in the pump house and turn it on only during the coldest temps to prevent the exposed connections.  It will also thaw pipes already frozen. 

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=2&pf_id=16051

[ironhorsedriver]

By nipple pipe, do you mean just the small pipe the pressure switch is attached to? I've tried locating an actual small nipple. I've got a heat lamp in there now.

[Carl]

By nipple pipe, do you mean just the small pipe the pressure switch is attached to? I've tried locating an actual small nipple. I've got a heat lamp in there now.

Yes,that would be what I meant.

Been there dude,used to have a shallow well and a water pump similar to that in the pic but 50 years older in the barn.
It pumped into an old tank without a bladder and from there fed the pipes in the barn and then one to the house.
Needless to say after the cows were gone freeze ups became a problem.
Moved the pump into the cellar by making a loop in the barn where the pipe came through the floor and the one back out to the house.

Pipes were old,too small (1 inch and 3/4) plus the run was too far combined with the lift to make it work properly.
I was constantly losing prime plus still had to keep the loop out in the old cow barn thawed.

Finally gave in and had a well drilled with a submerged pump.
They had to go down 80 feet to hit bedrock and set the casing then on to 400 something for water.
Went from nice spring water to slightly sulfur but still nice to not have to mess with it all winter long.

[debk]

We had a well when we lived in Durham NC.

We kept a heat lamp down it when the temps got below 32. It's what our neighbor did and what he told us to do...and we never had a problem with it.

[ironhorsedriver]

Eurika! let there be water. The heat lamp did it. You can bet I'll let the faucets run tonight, suppose to be 6 degrees. Thanks everyone for your input and help..

[Carl]

Eurika! let there be water. The heat lamp did it. You can bet I'll let the faucets run tonight, suppose to be 6 degrees. Thanks everyone for your input and help..

Congrats,like I said...know how miserable that situation is. 

[debk]

 


Just think....we have at least 8 more weeks of winter coming up....

[ironhorsedriver]

Yea, we've had snow 9 of the last 14 days. calling for snow tomorrow and Tuesday. Oh, such joy.

[Randy]

I worked for a guy in Texas who's well in the garage froze one day. He hooked his arc welder to the pipe going down the well and the other lead disappeared into the house (I think the cold line under the kitchen sink) When both were clamped on tight the welder was switched on and off a few seconds at a time until water flowed.  


The heat lamp sound easier