ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Creative pipe thawing

The old hair dryer truck worked for me when it got cold back in my Michigan day. I did thaw out a frozen drain pipe in Fairbanks a few winters ago by cobbling a. Few brass fitting to connect to the sink faucet aireator and a long piece of 1/4" plastic tubing. I shoved it down past the trap till it didn't go no more and turned on the hot water. If the sink back filled, we scooped it out and went back at it. Eventually we had it open enough where the flowing hot water took care of the rest

Two hospitals in Hamilton Ont. where partially shut down do to burst sprinkler pipes. It has not been reported if it was do to freezing or not though.

Hadn't seen this thread before, but it reminds me of several years ago having the bright idea to use a welder to thaw the pipe between my house and garage. I instantly burned out the earth cable of the supply to the garage. Subsequently stuck to blowtorch or hair dryer for frozen pipes!