frozen pipes

[jodil]

I had posted a question about a frozen plumbing vent a while back on a home that had been winterized. House obviously vacant, a week ago the propane tank ran out, furnace went out, and many of the pipes froze and burst. (of course the seller is peeved at me for not indicating the tank was low, but 1. I dont inspect LP tanks, 2. Hes not my client)

So anways, why would this of happened if the home was winterized? I went out there and there was pink splash marks of anti freeze all over the place..

Thank you

[Scottpat]

The pipes still had water in them, that is the only way. Simply putting antifreeze in the toilets and drains will not do anything for the water lines. Whoever winterized it screwed up or somebody else has come along and turned the water back on.

When you inspected the home was the water on or off?

[fqp25]

Originally posted by jodil

there was pink splash marks of anti freeze all over the place..

I'm wondering what you mean by this. Is it like somebody dropped a cherry bomb in a toilet? Did the sewer back up?

As for the busted water piping, somebody probably just turned the main off, without draining the lines, or what Scott had mentioned. Could be somebody had use the restroom, and realized there was no water, so they turned the main on for minute to flush the toilet.

Anyway I don't think any of this would have happened, if the house was Properly Winterized, and not tampered with.

Frank

[hausdok]

Jodi,

Frank is kind of an authority on this; he was a plumber in a former life.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[charlieb]

Originally posted by fqp25

Originally posted by jodil

there was pink splash marks of anti freeze all over the place..

I'm wondering what you mean by this. Is it like somebody dropped a cherry bomb in a toilet? Did the sewer back up?

As for the busted water piping, somebody probably just turned the main off, without draining the lines, or what Scott had mentioned. Could be somebody had use the restroom, and realized there was no water, so they turned the main on for minute to flush the toilet.

Anyway I don't think any of this would have happened, if the house was Properly Winterized, and not tampered with.

Frank

I've been paid to winterize a lot of houses in the past. The companies I worked for wanted a photo of the fixture, showing a splash form the antifreeze and the jug of antifreeze.

As Frank and most others realize the whole process is useless unless the supply lines are drained/blown out.

Unless you live in the south!

I inspected a house a couple of weeks ago that had been winterized. Bubba did drain the water heater. The agents managed to have the utilities turned on for the inspection. The garage ceiling was a mess. Bubba cut the pan under the water heater in the attic to install his drain hose. Leaving the drain valve open when he was done was even worse.

[Eric B]

"of course the seller is peeved at me for not indicating the tank was low"

That's funny! I don't come across many conditions anymore that I haven't already seen. But when it comes to dealing with people there's always something new. Makes for an interesting job.