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How to defrost a pipe with water - 11 simple and effective ways ice control

With the onset of winter and the onset of severe prolonged frosts, the risk of such an unpleasant phenomenon as freezing of water in the pipelines of water heating, cold and hot water supply or in the domestic sewerage system increases significantly.

This problem is especially relevant for residents of private houses, since their communications are less protected from frost, but, despite this, not every owner of suburban housing knows how to defrost a pipe underground, inside walls or other hidden cavities, without having to her approach and direct access.

For those who are not in the know, I must remind you that the resulting ice plug leads to a complete blockage of the internal lumen of the pipe, and thereby prevents the passage and free circulation of fluid. However, the main danger of this phenomenon lies in the fact that during the formation of ice, in the process of crystallization, water slightly increases in volume, which, in conditions of limited space, often leads to ruptures and cracks in the outer walls of pipelines.

How to prevent pipes from freezing

The preventive solution to this problem is to initially prevent the formation of ice plugs throughout the water pipelines. For this, during laying and installation engineering communications, I advise you not to ignore the requirements building codes and the Rules, and follow the elementary advice and recommendations set out in the regulatory and technical documents and prompted by experienced builders.

1. The minimum depth for laying a water or sewer pipeline should be located below the maximum depth of soil freezing for your region, in accordance with the requirements of SNiP II-G.3-62 “Water supply. Design standards”;

1. When laying outdoor or underground utilities, water pipes with a diameter of 48 mm or more should be usedbecause thinner pipes are subject to rapid freezing throughout their entire thickness;
2. If possible, I advise using pipes and fittings made of polymeric materials (polyethylene, polypropylene) for these purposes, since they are more elastic, which allows them to stretch slightly in case of deformation, and in addition, these materials have a lower thermal conductivity;
3. Also, I do not recommend laying a pipeline in the ground, close to brick and monolithic building structures, since their thermal conductivity is much higher than the thermal conductivity of dry soil;

1. To protect external and underground pipelines from the cold, it is necessary to use heat-insulating sleeves or segmental linings made of polypropylene foam, polyurethane foam or pressed mineral wool, and in those places where the pipe passes through concrete foundation or brick wall, it is necessary to impose a double layer of heat-insulating material on it;
2. In unheated private houses seasonal residence it is impossible to leave water for the winter inside pipelines and other communications, therefore, with the onset of the first cold weather, it must be completely drained.

If these measures were not enough, or they were taken out of time, and the water in the pipes still froze, in order to minimize the likelihood of unpleasant consequences in the form of burst pipes, shut-off valves or fittings, then the reader will be offered a simple instruction in which I offer a few simple ways to eliminate ice plugs in pipes with water.

In order to guarantee frost protection, in cold climates, I recommend using an electric heating cable, which must be laid along the entire length of the pipe and stop valves, under the thermal insulation lining.

How to defrost an open pipeline

If the frozen section of the water pipe is located on open space, in the zone of direct reach, the solution of the problem of thawing the ice plug is greatly simplified, since external heating of the pipe can be used for this.

As a heat source for external heating of metal-plastic, polyethylene or polypropylene pipes, it is allowed to use only electric heating appliances, for example, a building or household hair dryer, an electric heating pad or a heating cable. To warm up bare metal pipes without external heat and waterproofing, in addition to the devices presented, you can also use an open flame from gas burner, blowtorch or homemade makeshift torch.

1. First of all, you need to determine the location of the icy area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe water supply, and open the tap of the nearest plumbing fixture halfway to ensure the free discharge of thawed water;

1. Before defrosting the heating pipes, you need to turn off the heating boiler, make sure that there is no water pressure in the system, start the circulation pump and slightly open the valve for draining the coolant from the heating circuit;
2. Connect a heating device to the network, or light a gas burner flame, and from a safe distance begin to warm the frozen section of the pipe, gradually moving the tool from the drain tap towards the supply riser;

1. When using an electric heating pad or heating cable, wrap it evenly around the frozen section of the pipe and plug it into the network. To enhance the effect, I advise you to wrap a thick fabric or an old blanket over it;
2. After some time, as the temperature rises, a thin stream of water will appear from the half-open tap, which indicates a gradual thawing of ice, and after the pressure increases sharply, you can turn off the heating devices.

If the icy area is located in the apartment, you can use hot water, pouring a pipe or a battery from a kettle, after wrapping it with a thick cloth, and substituting a wide bowl or basin under it. Also in the house, instead of a hair dryer, you can use a medical lamp with a deflector, or a household electric heater.

How to remove an ice blockage in the sewer

In private houses permanent residence, freezing of sewer pipes is a rather rare phenomenon, since with the continuous use of sewage, a positive temperature is naturally maintained in the drain system, due to the own heat of the wastewater.

However, if for some reason this nevertheless happened, then I will talk about how to defrost a sewer pipe in a private house using simple and affordable, but at the same time effective methods.

1. In cases where the drain collector lies at a shallow depth, if conditions on the ground allow personal plot, over the alleged place of freezing of the soil, you need to light a fire, and keep the fire going until this piece of land is completely warmed up;
2. If the ice plug is located near a sink or toilet drain, I recommend pouring a saturated hot solution of table salt (1 kg of salt per 10 liters of water) into the sewer. The resulting brine has a fairly low melting point (below -22°C), so the ice, upon contact with it, reacts and begins to actively melt;

1. If the cork is far away, you can take plumbing cable, and attach a flexible rubber hose to it with electrical tape in several places. After that, put the free end of the cable with a hose into the sewer pipe until it hits an ice blockage, and then, using a wide funnel, pour hot salt water into the hose
2. With a significant removal of the septic tank from the house, an ice plug can form at the end of the drain manifold. In this case, you need to open the inspection hatch receiving chamber septic tank, insert a flexible rubber hose all the way into the sewer pipe, and supply water from the hot water supply system to it until the ice is completely melted.

If a piece of electric heating cable of sufficient length remains in the house, it must, as far as possible, be brought into the drain hole of the sink or toilet bowl and connected to the mains (the drain system must be filled with water).

Defrosting hidden plastic pipes

Currently, pipes made of polymeric materials (polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, metal-plastic) are widely used to supply cold water to a house from a well or centralized water supply, as well as for performing intra-house wiring. Freezing of intra-apartment communications is rare, however, if a pipe with water is laid underground, laid inside a wall, or passes through an uninsulated underground space, upon the onset of prolonged severe frosts she might freeze.

The methods described above will not work in this case, so next I will tell you how to defrost polypropylene pipes in the event that they are not in sight, and there is no direct access to them.

1. First of all, you need to purchase a two-core bay electric cable of sufficient length, with copper monolithic conductors. At one time I used a power installation cable NYM 2x1.5 mm² for these purposes, costing 20-35 rubles / m.p., but you can take its domestic analogue VVG 2x1.5 mm², the price of which is 16-25 rubles per linear meter;

1. One of the free ends of the cable must be cut as shown in the figure below. On a section 80-100 mm long, you need to completely remove the top insulation, then completely strip one copper core. Strip the second core to half, bend it back, and make a few turns of the bare wire around;
2. Also turn the completely stripped core back, and, trying not to damage the insulation, wind it with several turns at the very end of the cable;

1. Lead the prepared end of the cable into a plastic pipe, and push it forward until it rests on the ice plug. After that, connect the free end of the cable to the electrical network;
2. When an electric current passes between the two copper windings at the end of the cable through the water in the pipe, it will begin to heat up and gradually melt the ice;
3. At the same time, the shut-off valve at the entrance to the house must be kept half-open, and a bucket or bowl should be placed under the free end of the pipe, because after a while thawed water will begin to flow out of it.

Once again, I want to remind you that this method can only be used on plastic pipelines with plastic valves, because even if a steel pipe or metal fitting is installed in some area, this can lead to short circuit.

Defrosting a hidden metal pipeline

Despite the widespread use of polymeric materials in modern construction, metal pipes are currently no less popular. Since the technology described in previous section, it is unacceptable to use metal pipes for defrosting, I suggest the reader to familiarize themselves with two more similar methods that can be used to thaw metal utilities hidden underground or in a wall.

1. The first of these methods resembles the previous one, however, instead of an electric cable, in this case a thin flexible hose is used, into which hot water or saline is supplied directly to the place where the ice plug forms;

1. In order for the hose not to break, not get stuck or bend as it moves inside the pipe, it must be wrapped with electrical tape to a thin but rigid steel wire in several places, approximately every 600-800 mm, and so that the wire does not cling to bends and turns , it needs to be bent with a small hook inside the hose;
2. After one end of the hose reaches the ice plug, any suitable container should be attached to the other end, preferably with a tap, into which brine or clean hot water should be gradually poured;
3. As a container for water, I advise you to use Esmarch's medical mug, or, more simply, a regular enema. All other actions must be performed similarly to the previous method using an electrical cable;

The second method, in my opinion, is much simpler, since it does not require partial disassembly of the pipeline and dismantling of shut-off valves with your own hands, moreover, it can be performed without further human participation, but it is quite energy-intensive, and it also requires welding machine.

1. First of all, you need to approximately determine the section of the pipe on which the ice jam has formed, after which, on both sides of this section, remove a small part of the thermal insulation and clean the metal of the pipe to a shine;

1. Connect electrical cables connected to the secondary winding to the cleaned places. welding transformer, while it is important to ensure a high-quality electrical connection;
2. Set the welding machine to the minimum value of the working current, and connect it to the mains. When low voltage with high current passes through metal pipes, they will begin to heat up along the entire length of the connected section, which will lead to gradual thawing of ice;
3. Heating can take up to several hours, and during this time it is important that the water tap of the nearest plumbing fixture is open in the house.

When working with a welding machine, it should be borne in mind that connecting and disconnecting electrical cables of the secondary winding to the pipe is allowed only when the transformer is turned off, otherwise, at the moment of breaking the circuit, an electric arc is formed, which can cause burns to hands and eyes, and even lead to burning through the walls of a steel pipe.

Conclusion

Summing up, from my own experience, I can say that each of the methods described here, in one case or another, is quite effective, however, in any case, you need to understand that the process of defrosting pipes can take a lot of time and effort. Therefore, I believe that it is always better to warn any problem in advance than later in winter, suddenly being left for an indefinite period without water supply, heating or sewerage.

In more detail, all the described pipe defrosting methods can be viewed in the attached video in this article, and if the reader has questions after watching, I will always be happy to answer them in the comments below.

July 22, 2016

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Why do pipes freeze? The reasons can be very different: pipes are laid at insufficient depth, inefficiently insulated, too small volumes of water are transported through them, pipes are operated at extremely low temperatures. In doing so, it must be taken into account that if pipe defrosting, laid in accessible places, does not cause any particular difficulties (for example, they can be warmed up with a regular household hair dryer), then how to defrost the outdoor ones when laying underground? “Good luck” if the pipe is frozen at the point of entry - in this case, you can simply heat the walls. And if the freezing point is a few meters from the structure? Is there a solution to the problem or do I need to wait for heat? There is a solution to the problem!

If the pipes are metal, then the defrosting process is quite simple. To do this, we take an ordinary welding machine and connect it to different ends of the pipe. This simple electrical method fixes the problem within two to four hours. The longer the frozen section of the pipe, the longer the defrost takes.

But what if it's cold plastic pipe? Currently, networks are mainly used made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which can withstand pressures up to 10 atm. They are not subject to corrosion processes and do not collapse when freezing. According to its properties, polyethylene is not a conductor of electric current, therefore, defrosting with a welding machine is not possible. Removing the ice plug with a steel bar is also fraught with damage to the pipe. Thus, there is only one way out - to use hot water to defrost.

Suggested three ways to defrost polyethylene pipes are the "know-how" of craftsmen. However, despite their some eccentricity - they work. Their only drawback is that they are only suitable for pipelines of small diameters.

Method 1

It should be borne in mind that an ice plug in the pipe will not allow hot water to get inside if it is poured just like that. So you need to find a way to supply hot water to the frozen zone. To do this, you can use a hose or pipe with a smaller diameter. For example, if you need to defrost a water pipe with a diameter of 25 or 30 mm, and the frozen section is straight, then the most effective is the use of metal plastic pipe 16 mm in diameter. First, we straighten the metal-plastic pipe (m / p pipes are usually rolled into coils), and then we push it into the frozen pipe until it reaches the ice. After that, we serve the hottest water through it to the freezing point. thawed cold water will pour out through the gap between the water and plastic pipes. By the way, if your water supply is limited, then you can use thawed water: heat it up and send it back to the freezing point. In this case, the ice plug will melt, and you can push the metal-plastic pipe further.

But what if the frozen section of the water pipe has bends and turns? In this case, it will not be possible to use a rigid metal-plastic pipe. Is there a solution? In such a situation, you can use a rigid hose. Note that an ordinary watering hose is not suitable for this, it will soften from hot water and it will be impossible to push it through. Oxygen hoses and hoses for connecting gas cylinders. Such hoses are quite rigid, but, nevertheless, they can be pushed no more than 10-15 meters from the input. In addition, they are quite heavy and you need to push them through the pipe with significant effort.

Method 2

How to defrost a water pipe if it happened tens of meters from the house and the pipeline has bends and turns? There is an efficient and economical way. To do this, you need a set of hardened steel wire (2-4 mm), a building hydraulic level and an Esmarch mug (banal enema). The cost of such a set is low, and many have all its components on the farm.

First, it is necessary to align the hydraulic level tube and the wire, and then fasten the end of the wire to the hydraulic level with electrical tape. To ensure greater hardness, a loop can be made at the end of the wire. The wire itself should not stick out, and the end of the hydraulic level tube should protrude 1 centimeter in front of the wire. After that, the other end of the hydraulic level must be connected to the Esmarch mug and the wire with the tube should be pushed into the pipeline until it stops at the ice plug. Due to the fact that the hydraulic level tube has very little large diameter and very light weight, it easily moves through the pipeline, overcoming all turns. Next, pour hot water, making the frozen water supply "enema". To collect thawed water, you need to substitute a container under the water pipe, because how much hot water is poured in, how much cold water is poured out. As the ice melts, we continue to push the wire with the hydraulic level tube. This method of defrosting pipes is quite lengthy; up to 1 m of pipeline can be thawed in about an hour, i.e. during the working day, 5-7 m of the pipe can be freed from ice. In this case, one should not rush, before pushing the tube / hose, it is necessary to fill in at least 10 liters of hot water, it works at minimal cost.

Scheme of the process of defrosting a pipe using a wire, a hydraulic level and an Esmarch mug

Method 3

Consider the situation where we have a frozen polyethylene plumbing small diameter (20 mm) with a length of 50 m with a laying depth of up to 80 cm. Note that this is an insufficient depth for laying a water pipe, which is why it froze. Distinctive feature- the water supply runs under the roadway. Utilities in similar situation, as a rule, it is advised to wait for the thaw, but, nevertheless, there is a way to do without them.

We will need the following “equipment”: a copper two-wire wire (we select the length and thickness of the section according to the length and diameter of the frozen water pipe), a plug for an outlet, a compressor and a hose for blowing out thawed water. So, for example, for a pipe with a diameter of 20 mm, you can take a wire of 2.5-3 mm and an automobile fuel hose with a diameter of 8 mm, a conventional automobile compressor (in extreme cases, you can use a pump).

We warn you that using this method you must be especially careful, since the work is done using high voltage.

Now you need to prepare all this for the defrosting process. From a small section of the wire, you need to remove the outer insulation, divide it into two wires and strip one of them (remove the inner insulation), gently bend the remaining wire in the insulation into reverse side along the wire. In this case, care must be taken that the insulation is not damaged.

Then, almost next to the bend of the wire, you need to make 3-5 turns of bare wire (as close as possible to each other) and cut off its remaining end.

After that, step back 2-3 mm from the turns made, expose the second wire and wrap it around the wire in the same way. The turns of the first and second wires must not touch, otherwise a short circuit will occur in the future.

We connect the plug to the other end of the wire and the “unit” for defrosting the pipe is ready. Popularly, this device is known as a “bulbulator”: if you place it in water and connect it to the mains, then when current passes through the water, a reaction occurs with the release of a large amount of heat. In our case, such a device is ideal, because only water is heated, and the wires remain cold, i.e. plastic pipe will not melt even by accident.

The assembled device must be checked. To do this, it must be placed in a jar of water and connected to the power supply. If air bubbles come out of the contacts and a slight buzz is felt, the unit is working. Once again, we remind you that when in contact with water while the device is working, you can get an electric shock.

We begin the process of defrosting the water supply. The wire must be carefully pushed into the pipe so that it does not bend. Therefore, it is preferable to take a wire of a larger cross section. When the wire hits the ice plug, you need to turn on the "bulbulator" and wait one or two minutes. Now you can try to push the wire further: the ice has begun to melt. When about a meter of pipe is defrosted, it is advisable to blow out the thawed water with a compressor, this is necessary to reduce the volume of heated water, and so that the water supply system does not freeze again in the already defrosted area.

If there is special equipment, then it is advisable to weld a crane onto the pipe. When water flows through the pipe, the wire is pulled out of it, and the tap is closed, i.e. flooding of the place where the defrosting procedure is carried out (for example, the basement) will not occur.

To prevent plastic pipes from freezing, remember:

• pipe laying should be carried out at a depth below the freezing level of the soil of a particular region. In the northern and eastern regions of Ukraine - Luhansk, Kharkov, Poltava, Sumy, Kiev, Chernigov - the depth of soil freezing does not exceed 100 cm, in the southern - (Nikolaev, Odessa, Kherson) - 60 cm, in the rest - 80 cm . It is desirable to lay water and sewer pipes at a depth of at least 120-140 cm.
• plumbing and sewerage should not be laid near reinforced concrete structures(supports, beams, foundations, grillages), since the thermal conductivity of concrete is much higher than the thermal conductivity of the soil, i.e. the probability of soil freezing from the side of reinforced concrete structures increases. In this case, it is necessary to insulate the pipes (for example, place plates made of extruded polystyrene foam between the pipeline and reinforced concrete structures)
• if finances allow, a heating cable can be laid next to the pipeline. At present, the production of self-regulating heating cables, which are switched on only when necessary, has already been mastered.
• it is desirable to insulate the places where the pipeline passes through the walls of buildings and structures with glass wool, mineral wool and mounting foam to prevent direct contact of the pipe walls with the walls of buildings
• in the construction of plumbing suburban area it is desirable to use pipes with a diameter of at least 50 mm, pipes of a smaller diameter are more susceptible to freezing
• when choosing between different polymeric water pipes, you should be aware that polyethylene pipes tolerate the multiple freezing and thawing process well, while polypropylene pipes can burst after two or three defrosting
• if the water supply or sewers are used irregularly in winter, it is better to completely drain the water from the system.

If all these conditions are met when laying a water pipe, you will not have to think about how to unfreeze the pipes.

July 22, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works(laying the foundation, erecting walls, constructing the roof, etc.). Internal construction works (laying of internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communication, high technologies, computer equipment, programming.

Many times I told many people about the technologies for manufacturing engineering systems in private homes. And all the time he paid attention to the fact that pipelines must be laid below the freezing point or carefully insulated. However, from time to time I get asked how to defrost a plastic water pipe.

I remember a case when a neighbor in the country called me in mid-January and tearfully asked me to fix the water supply. As it turned out, he planned to spend the anniversary outside the city, and when he arrived at the site after a long stay in warm countries, he was faced with the fact that water was not flowing from the taps. And all the complex electronics that provide water to the cottage also do not work.

As it turned out, the ice plug was to blame, which clogged a metal-plastic pipe laid underground. And since he could only sign business papers with his own hands, he had to call me for help.

Of course, we coped with the problem, and I turned out to be the most honored guest at his holiday. I decided to tell you about how to defrost plastic pipes for water supply and sewerage. Suddenly, the instruction below will be of invaluable help to you. Especially when a reliable plumber friend is not around.

Causes of pipeline freezing

In my practice, I very rarely met people who make or order modern engineering networks (water supply, sewerage) from steel pipes. More common plastic.

And that I think is right, because the price of pipes made of polymers is constantly decreasing, and the operational properties of such a solution have always been at their best:

• plastic pipelines have an attractive appearance;
• pipes are not subject to corrosion during the entire period of operation;
• mount engineering network as simple as possible without the use of electric welding (maximum - soldering iron);
• pipes do not conduct electricity and do not accumulate static electricity.

The only thing that cannot be got rid of under any circumstances is the danger of freezing the liquid in them. However, I know for sure that people encounter this trouble only in those cases when they entrusted the installation to an illiterate engineer.

Only such a person can lay a water pipe at an insufficient depth in the ground or fail to insulate the engineering system. As a result, you come to the cottage to celebrate your birthday, and nothing flows from the tap. Sadness.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to dig a deep enough trench for the water and sewer pipes. The average depth of soil freezing in the Moscow area is 1.4 meters. However, this indicator depends on many other factors, therefore, to determine the exact value, it is better to contact specialists or use special cards with tables.

By the way, many people ask why central water pipes in cities do not freeze. I will answer without hesitation. There, the flow of water does not stop around the clock, so the liquid is in motion does not turn into ice.

And in the country, pumping equipment is turned on only from time to time. Therefore, it is imperative to take measures to insulate water transport pipes.

Pay special attention to the insulation and deepening of drain systems where water flows at a low speed. Otherwise, a plug will form and you will have to decide how to defrost a plastic sewer pipe. This is hard work and far from pleasant.

If for some reason it is not possible to dig a ditch of a suitable depth, it is necessary to wrap the pipes in heat-insulating materials or come up with systems for heating them. Or use both.

If you know that your pipes are poorly insulated, and at night they promise very severe frost, leave the water turned on for the night to ensure the flow in the pipe.
In this case, the probability of ice formation is significantly reduced.

But it often happens that people return to the issues of pipe insulation only when they are already faced with freezing water. There is nothing left, you have to melt the ice. I will tell you about this now.

Defrosting water transport communications made of plastic

Underground

First, let's figure out how to defrost a plastic water pipe underground. This, in my opinion, is the most time-consuming and lengthy process. Especially in winter, when not only the water in the pipes froze, but the very ground where they were laid.

The simplest scheme is as follows:

1. Above the place where the plastic pipe passes, it is necessary to kindle a fire. You can use wood or coal, as well as ignite car tire. The latter will burn for a long time, but emit black smoky smoke. Consider this.

The advantage of this method is that not only the water in the pipe should heat up, but the earth itself should also thaw. And we need this in order to move on to the next point of our work.

1. Then I advise you to dig up the pipe to see if it is damaged. This will be easy to do, as the fire softens the ground and it will be easier to swing the shovel.
   Usually high-quality plastic pipes do not burst with ice, so nothing needs to be repaired. The main thing is not to break the pipe already during excavations.
2. After making sure of the integrity of communications, I recommend insulating the pipeline thermal insulation materials or pave. If this is not done, then personally I will not give a guarantee that after filling the trench with earth, the water in the pipe will not freeze again.

If you once encountered water freezing, I recommend redoing the engineering system in the summer. After all, your friend will not always come to the rescue in time and dig out this pipe. It will be necessary to either deepen the trenches or insulate the water transport system along its entire length.

By the way, once someone told me that he insulated pipes with empty plastic bottles. The scheme is this:

• dig a pit and check the pipe;
• take more plastic bottles, wrap the corks so that there is air inside;
• you wrap them around the pipe;
• cover everything with earth.

The bottom line here is that the air inside has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and will not allow the water in the pipes to freeze.

What can I say. In my opinion, you will spend more time collecting bottles than working. Better go to the store and buy basalt shells. It will be clean, tidy, efficient and not very expensive.

And lately I have resorted to all sorts of folk recipes less and less. Unless he himself is confident in their effectiveness.

Another way to eliminate ice blockage is to use hot water. There are several downsides that I can see:

• have to sort it out somewhere plumbing system to pour water into it;
• the pipe will remain uninsulated and the liquid may freeze again at any time;
• the method will not work if the ice is on long distance from the place where you are going to pour boiling water.

However, sometimes I resorted to this method. To make it more effective, I will give some of my own tips that have been formed in the process of work:

1. If your cottage is connected to the central water supply, do not block the taps. Additional pressure from the central water carrier can help break the plug.
2. If water comes from pumping station(that is, a well or a well), the equipment must be turned off. Otherwise, you will ruin expensive and electronics, as the water will leave the pipes.
3. You can understand that the plug has been eliminated by the fact that the water poured into the pipe will all go away.

Another proven method that I sometimes used to thaw pipes. It must be implemented carefully, as you can get hit. electric shock. Nevertheless, I will describe the technology, all of a sudden you will not have another way to fix the problem.

The scheme is this:

1. I take electrical wire, I separate one core from the other and remove part of the insulation. Then I twist one wire into a spiral. I do the same with the second vein, but the twist should be placed a little behind, about two centimeters.
   It is very important here to make sure that these twists do not move in the process of work and do not come into contact with each other. This may result in a short circuit and electric shock. So be very careful to secure the ends of the wire.
2. I put the tool prepared in this way into the pipe until it rests on the ice plug.
3. After that, the wire must be connected to electrical outlet. The heating of the liquid inside the pipe will occur due to the potential difference on the twists. The walls of the pipe will not melt, the water temperature will not rise to this level in any case.
4. As you thaw, you need to move your appliance deep into full recovery patency of the engineering system.

Remember that thawed water must be drained all the time, otherwise it may freeze again.

There are also special devices for thawing pipes. It's about about steam generators, autoclaves and hydrodynamic devices. It is not necessary to buy them, it is enough to rent the necessary unit in a specialized building supermarket.

The work is as follows:

1. steam generator. It is necessary to place the hose of the device inside the pipe and put steam under pressure into it. Given that the temperature of the medium is much higher than the boiling point of the liquid, the defrosting process will be very fast, and the plastic will not be damaged.
2. Autoclave. Steam is also used here, but the principle of operation is somewhat different. First, water is heated in a container until steam is formed from it. Then a hose is inserted into the water pipe (up to the ice plug), the second end of which is connected to the autoclave.
   As the ice thaws, the hose must be moved along the pipe until the water flows in the direction you need.
3. hydrodynamic machine. It destroys ice not with temperature, but with a jet of liquid injected under high pressure. As a result, the cork can be disposed of very quickly and effectively.

And if someone tells you to just bend the wire and break through the ice, don't do it. So you are very likely to damage the plastic shell of the pipeline itself, but not the ice plug.

Elevated

As you understand, defrosting plastic pipes laid openly (for example, in a basement, pantry or other unheated room) is much easier to do. Here you do not need the help of a specialist at all. Especially if you follow my advice.

The easiest way to heat is with a building hair dryer or other similar heat source. By directing the air flow to the engineering system, you gradually heat up the walls of the pipes, which give their thermal energy water. And the ice is melting.

By the way, a hair dryer can be replaced with an ordinary heater, which is placed near the pipe.

You have probably seen how metal pipelines are heated with blowtorches. So, this method of heating is categorically not suitable for plastic. The polymer has a very low melting point (about 140 degrees), so the flame from gas or gasoline burner will melt not only the ice, but the pipe along with it.

Naturally, a mandatory step in any defrosting is the insulation of pipes or the installation of heating elements that maintain the required temperature of the liquid. I offer several options to choose from:

1. Take mineral mats and wrap the pipes with them. From above it is necessary to protect all this waterproofing material to avoid moisture and some protective cocoon. Suitable roofing material, which will cope with both tasks.

1. Buy and fix special shells made of foam plastic, basalt fiber, polyethylene foam and so on on pipes. The easiest option. They are mounted quickly and easily, without the use of special tools.

1. Wrap the pipe with a heating electric cable. This method is suitable for heating ice, and for preventing its further formation. It is only necessary to ensure that the cable is constantly connected to the electrical network.

And it is best to wrap the pipes with a cable, and then with a heater. The combination of these methods will provide you drinking water at any time of the year, regardless of the temperature "overboard".

Defrosting a sewer pipe

Separately, I will tell you about the method of removing the plug from the drain pipe of the external sewer system of a private house. It is this problem that most residents of private country houses face.

So, to fix the problem you will need:

• hard steel wire;
• hydraulic level (dense polymeric flexible tube);
• Esmarch's irrigator;
• a bucket for collecting dirty liquid;
• hot water.

I fixed a similar problem like this:

1. He removed a piece of the sewer pipe, opening access to the pipe connecting the internal and external sewer systems Houses.
2. He leveled the steel wire and taped a hydraulic level to it with electrical tape, through which hot water would flow into the pipe.
3. Then he put all this device into the sewer pipe, and attached Esmarch's mug to the opposite end of the pipe.
4. After that, with the help of an impromptu pump, he began to pump hot water inside, gradually moving the device inside the pipe.
5. Excess water and thawed sewage poured out through the neck. I collected them in a pre-set bucket.
6. As soon as the water stops flowing out, it means that the cork has thawed and the engineering system can be assembled.

As in the case of plumbing, to avoid freezing the drain, you need to lay pipes at the right depth or insulate them with heat-insulating materials. It is better to spend time and money on this in the summer than to dig through the waste in the winter, on the eve of your birthday.

Regardless of the chosen method of defrosting and the method of laying pipes, I will give a few more tips that must be followed when thawing pipes:

• if you know exactly where the ice plug is located, you do not need to heat this particular section of pipes from the middle;
• to ensure the outflow of melted water, it is necessary to open the water tap;
• I recommend starting the thawing procedure from the consumer (consumable tap) to the water intake source (vertical riser).

Output

There are a lot of ways to defrost pipes, and everyone who has encountered a similar problem knows their own way of thawing ice. I would be glad if you shared it with our readers by describing it in the comments to this article.

And for everyone, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video in this article, where you can find many other tips regarding the operation of the engineering systems of a residential building.

July 22, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thanks!

One of the unpleasant consequences of prolonged severe frosts is the freezing of water in the heating pipeline, hot and cold water supply or the domestic sewer system, so the owners of private houses need to know how to defrost the pipe underground, preventing it from being damaged by the formed ice crystals. Indeed, in addition to the formation of an ice plug, which completely covers the internal lumen of the pipe, the crystallization of water is accompanied by an increase in volume frozen ice in a confined space, which can lead to rupture of the outer walls of the pipeline.

To prevent freezing of water, external pipes must be carefully insulated., but if for some reason this nevertheless happened, they must be correctly thawed using the technologies described below.

Defrosting water and sewer pipes

In order to consider this issue in detail, this article will describe several ways to deal with this dangerous phenomenon, used using common household tools and available funds household chemicals.

In addition, the reader will be presented detailed instructions and useful recommendations for the installation of water pipes, the implementation of which will avoid the occurrence of unpleasant consequences.

What to do so that the pipes do not freeze

Most often, the main cause of freezing of water in pipes is a violation of the technology for laying an external or underground pipeline and non-compliance with the rules for using water supply in winter period time. In order not to have to face the solution of such a problem in the future, it is enough to follow the simple rules for the installation and operation of the supply or drain pipeline in the cold season.

1. The bottom of the trench for laying the pipeline should be located below maximum depth soil freezing for this region, in accordance with the requirements of SNiP II-G.3-62 “Water supply. Design standards".
2. It is not allowed to lay pipes in the ground near structures made of monolithic reinforced concrete., since its thermal conductivity is significantly higher than the thermal conductivity of the soil. About that, I advise you to read in the previous article on our website.
3. When the pipeline passes through the foundation, walls and other building construction, it is necessary to provide thermal insulation from monolithic concrete with a thick layer of mineral wool.

1. For laying underground or external water supply lines, pipes with a diameter of at least 50 mm should be used, since reducing the diameter of the pipe contributes to faster freezing.
2. If possible, pipes made of polymeric materials should be used for these purposes, since they have moderate elasticity and do not collapse when an ice plug forms, but only slightly increase in volume.
3. For guaranteed frost protection, one or two lines of heating cable should be laid parallel to the pipe, which, regardless of the frost, will constantly maintain a positive temperature.
4. In unheated residential buildings seasonal residence, before the onset of the cold season, it is necessary to completely drain the water from all water supply networks, including water supply, heating and sewerage.

In any case, when installing an external or underground water supply system, it should be remembered that the price of thorough thermal insulation will be much lower than the cost of repair work to replace a damaged section of the pipeline in the winter.

Note!

Advice! For complete removal of water from all engineering communications, their pipes should be located at an inclination of 1-2 ° to the horizon, towards the lowest point of the plumbing, sewer or heating system.

Pipe defrosting technology

Option 1: defrosting steel plumbing

In practice, two methods are used to thaw frozen pipes. They differ from each other in the way of thermal exposure - internal and external heating:

• For metal pipelines, both the first and second methods can be used., however, outdoor heating is usually more efficient, since it allows you to heat the surface immediately over a large area.
• An external heat source can be an electrical heating device or an open flame source, such as a heating cable, heat gun, blowtorch, or gas burner. In the process of heating steel pipes using these tools, the following rules must be observed:

1. First of all, you need to determine the location of the formation of an ice plug and provide free access to the pipe, after which open the nearest water faucet for the free flow of thawed water.
2. Connect a heat source or light a gas burner flame and gradually begin to warm up the frozen area, slowly advancing the tool from faucet to the inlet.

1. As the temperature rises, water will begin to appear from the tap, which indicates the gradual thawing of the ice plug.
2. It is safer and no less effective to use a household heating pad or a heating electric cable, which must be evenly wound around a frozen section of the pipe, and then plugged into electrical network. To speed up the process, I suggest wrapping the heating cable with a thick cloth or an old blanket.
3. To warm a long section of a metal pipe that is located on the street or in a wall, you can use a welding machine. To do this, you need to connect the leads of the low-voltage winding of the transformer with thick cables to different ends of the frozen section.

Note!

Advice! When using open fire, be sure to follow the rules fire safety. This method is not allowed to be used for heating pipes that are wrapped with roofing material or covered with a layer of bituminous waterproofing.

Option 2: defrosting plastic pipes

Metal-plastic water pipes, as a rule, are used to perform intra-apartment or intra-house wiring of the water supply system, so they can freeze if they are filled with water for a long time in an unheated room with a negative temperature.

1. In most cases, to eliminate the ice plug, it is enough to turn on the heating system in the house and warm the air in the room to above zero temperature.
2. If a plug has formed in the heating system, you can put an electric heater or a medical lamp with a deflector next to the radiator or battery.
3. An open metal-plastic pipe in the house can be warmed up with your own hands, if you wrap it with several layers of thick fabric and water it. hot water, after substituting a bucket or bowl under it.
4. For metal-plastic pipes it is also effective to use an electric heating pad or an electric heating cable, but the use of open fire in this case is strictly not permissible.

Note!

Advice! Beforehow to defrost heating pipesyou need to check the water level in expansion tank, and make sure that no air enters the autonomous heating system during operation.

Option 3: defrosting plastic plumbing

Plastic water pipes made of polypropylene or polyethylene pipes are most often used to supply water to a house from a well when autonomous system water supply or for connection to a centralized water supply system. It is also often used to perform internal wiring hot and cold water supply in many apartments and houses.

Most often, freezing of water networks occurs at the entrance to a residential building or at the exit from the water metering unit., and this area is usually located underground. In this case, the methods described above will not work, so you need to use the internal heating method. To do this, you need Esmarch's medical mug and a thin long hose.

1. Before you unfreeze polypropylene pipes underground, you need to roughly determine the place where the ice plug forms and disassemble part of the water supply to provide free access to the supply pipe.

1. To the free end of the flexible rubber hose, attach the end of the elastic steel wire so that it protrudes 10 mm in front of the end of the hose.
2. Insert the hose with a fixed wire inside the supply pipe and gradually push it inward, adjusting its progress with the help of a wire.
3. Having reached the place of the alleged ice plug, connect the free end of the hose to the outlet of Esmarch's mug, and pour hot water into it.
4. After that, you need to raise it as high as possible and open the drain valve, directing the heated water to the place of ice formation.
5. As it warms up, thawed water will flow out of the end of the inlet pipe, so you need to substitute a bowl or bucket under it.

The diagram shows how to defrost a pipe using an Esmarch mug.

Note!

Advice! In order to prevent flooding of the house as a result of a sudden supply of water after the removal of the ice plug, you must first, slightly close the inlet valve, which is located between the metering unit and the main pipeline.

Option 4: removing the ice plug in the sewer

Freezing of the sewer is rare, because, as a rule, it receives heated waste water from the drain holes of plumbing fixtures located in the house or apartment. If this nevertheless happened, then several methods will be presented that describe in detail how to defrost a sewer pipe in a private house when an ice plug forms.

1. With a small depth of the underground drain collector, above the place where it is located, you need to build a fire and keep it burning until the entire layer of the earth warms up.
2. Pour down the drain a large number of concentrated salt solution. Such a solution has a very low melting point, so it will not freeze, and the salt included in its composition will slowly dissolve the ice plug.
3. Through the drain hole of the toilet bowl or the window of the inspection hatch, lead the electric heating cable into the sewerage system until it stops against the ice obstacle, and connect it to the mains.
4. Open the inspection hatch of the septic tank, and through the outlet of the drain pipe, bring a flexible garden hose into it. Having reached the place of the alleged ice plug, supply hot water from the water supply system to the hose until the ice is completely thawed.

Conclusion

After reading this article, it is easy to conclude that there are a large number of simple and effective ways that allow you to independently eliminate the effects of water freezing in any pipeline of a private house.

Additional information on this issue can be obtained if you watch the video in this article, or read similar materials on our website. All your questions and suggestions can be left in the comment form.

Almost every private house has drain and sewer pipes through which water and sewage are supplied and discharged. Since this system is the property of the residents, in the event of any breakdowns or problems, they often have to deal with everything on their own. One of the most urgent and unpleasant situations that one has to face is the freezing of water in pipes in the winter. It is very important to be able to properly defrost pipes so that the ice does not break them during melting, violating the integrity of the entire water supply.

Peculiarities

For plumbing in a private house, both metal and plastic pipes can be used, but that one and the other are not protected from freezing in winter if the process of laying them was done incorrectly. The main reason that water freezes in a pipe underground in frost is insufficient deepening of the water supply. If the laying technology is performed correctly, then the entire system is located at a level where frost does not reach.

Due to the fact that the main pipelines have a large diameter, even in winter they do not freeze, because everything in them time runs water movement. Home systems are laid using pipes with a diameter of 20 mm or more - 32 mm. It is important to deepen such thin elements well so that frost does not reach them, but this is not always possible, therefore you need to know how pipes can be insulated to protect them from the cold.

In the event that all the recommendations have been met, and the water is still freezing, then in this case it is necessary to keep the system turned on all the time so that the water always flows through the pipes at least in a thin stream. This is quite expensive, given the cost of water, but it will not be necessary to spend time, effort and money on defrosting the entire system.

In order not to have to carry out work on heating pipes with water annually, it is important to prevent all possible problems still at the stage of laying the entire network.

During installation, it is important to observe the following rules:

• The depth of the trench should be greater than the level of soil freezing, which is typical for this region. There are relevant SNiP standards that will help to properly design a water supply system.
• When choosing the location of the pipes, it is important not to lay them next to reinforced concrete products, because their thermal conductivity is greater than that of the soil.
• If the laying is carried out under the foundation, then the pipes are isolated from reinforced concrete using a large layer of thermal insulation, which is best used as mineral wool.
• When planning a water supply system underground and on its surface, it is best to use pipes with a diameter of 50 mm, because thinner products freeze much faster.
• When choosing a material for pipes, it is worth giving preference to polymer products, which can increase the size by several millimeters, which saves them from cracking during freezing and freezing.
• In order to ensure a calm winter for yourself, it is worth laying a heating cable near the pipes, which will support optimal temperature and keep the system from freezing.
• If the house is used only in summer and is empty in winter, then it is important to drain all the water from the system so that there is nothing in the pipes in frosts. This will keep them from freezing.

What will be required?

If in a private house a pipe that supplies water or drains is frozen, the first step is to determine the location of the plug in order to eliminate it and not aggravate the situation. by the most simple option the search will be the use of an iron cable that is inserted into the water supply, which was previously blocked and immediately untwisted under the tap at the junction of the structure. It is important to choose the longest cable, because trouble spot can be both at the beginning of the system and at its end.

Once the plug has been found, the affected area of ​​the pipeline can be excavated. and take all necessary measures to defrost. If the structure is old and the pipes are metal, then the most in a simple way to warm the water inside there will be a current, for which a welding machine is used. But for a HDPE pipeline, this method is no longer suitable. For them, the use of external means brings little result; a different approach must be taken.

The most efficient, but expensive, would be to use a hydrodynamic machine that can jet water at such a speed that ice and some other substances melt from such an impact. Only a professional can work with the device, because it is important to know the technology and follow the work algorithm. If you need to quickly fix the problem, but you don’t have the necessary skills and equipment, you can simply call the master, who will easily do everything necessary to restore the water supply.

Another way to heat the pipe includes a steam generator, which looks like this:

• pour 2-3 liters of water into the container;
• connect the heat-resistant sleeve to the place where the safety valve is located;
• lead the hose into the pipe to the point where the plug has formed;
• turn on the device and wait for the result.

The work must be carried out only in the correct sequence and it is better to have assistants with you, because after removing the hose from the pipe where the ice was, the fountain will simply beat. This water must be collected in buckets, which must be prepared in advance. You can make more rags.

If there is no steam generator, it does not matter, a boiler will also work to defrost pipes. To use this option, you need to prepare a wire, it must be copper, two-wire and have a cross section of 0.5 mm, and its length must be equal to the pipe. In addition, a steel wire is also needed, the diameter of which is 3 mm. Copper wires are stripped 60 cm, and the second - 1 cm from the cut. Separate turns are made on each wire so that there is no contact, otherwise a short circuit will occur.

tape copper wires screwed to the steel and all this is immersed in the pipe. In such a simple way it turns out to build a homemade boiler. It must be connected to the network in order to warm up the pipe, which will push the plug out of the heat. As soon as the problem is solved, the boiler is turned off and pulled out, and the pipe is blocked. When the system starts up again, everything works as it should.

Pipe defrosting can be done welding inverter. This is a wire that connects to the pipe at the place of icing and heats it. It is important to work correctly with the device and not overheat it, giving different voltages. After ten minutes of such exposure, the ice turns into a liquid and the cork dissolves.

Heating water pipes in case of ice blockage is one of the most effective options. For iron pipe the method of external influence is suitable, and for plastic - internal. The means by which it is convenient to deal with icing can be anything, and everyone chooses what he likes and can afford, the main thing is that there is a result, but it is best not to lead to such situations by properly laying the water supply and warming it well.

How to warm up?

In order to warm a metal-plastic water pipe in which water has frozen, Several methods can be used, including:

• Exposure to hot water, for which the structure is wrapped with foam rubber or rags and very hot water is poured inside, almost boiling water. This option is quite simple, but it is effective for pipes inside the house. In the case of underground ice plugs, this method can break through an obstacle up to ten hours.
• The use of hot air, for which you need to have a building hair dryer or heating device. The place of icing is heated by any of the devices for two or more hours, it all depends on the degree of freezing of the water inside. It is not difficult to do such work, but it is important to carry out all activities carefully, because from high temperature pipes can be deformed, which will further exacerbate the problem. The efficiency of this method is not too great, because with large energy and heat losses real result does not come soon.

• Heating by conduction. It is a winding of pipes with a cable that is used in the underfloor heating system. When everything is ready, the resulting structure is connected to electricity and begins to heat the pipe itself. The workflow lasts approximately three hours and allows you to alert only those pipes that are above the ground and in the house. Wires for underfloor heating are quite expensive, so buying them in order to defrost the system once is unprofitable due to the high cost.
• The process of heating the pipes inside allows you to solve the problem quite effectively. For work it is important to have access to problem area to pour hot water into it using special device, which drives liquid under high pressure, but an apparatus that looks like a boiler can also be used. The work is slow, the problem is completely solved in at least three days. It is forbidden to use this option for those sections where the pipes run vertically. The system must be in a horizontal position to ensure operability.

If you have to deal with plastic pipes, then you can handle defrosting them with your own hands, the main thing is to know what exactly needs to be done. For those pipelines that are located underground and the system is a network of turns and various bends, then everything was previously options listed won't be able to help. by the most the best option in this case, there will be a welding machine that needs to be connected to different ends of the pipes and turned on. If there is no suitable equipment, you can use just hot water.

To do effective remedy to defrost pipes, you need:

• find a hard hose or small diameter plastic pipe;
• place the hose or pipe in the water supply and move until it rests on the ice;
• pour hot water or brine;
• for the water that will be formed from the ice plug, you need to put a container;
• as soon as the problem area is completely eliminated, you need to turn on the hot water in the tap and thoroughly clean the system.

If they were laid metal-plastic structures, then to defrost them you need to do a number of actions:

1. Find a problematic place, for which it is enough just to probe all the pipes. The freezing point will be much colder than the rest of the surface.
2. The place of icing is wrapped up with rags and all the taps of the water supply are opened. Make sure you have a supply of hot water.
3. The surface treatment of the pipe is gradual, cold water is immediately used, therefore hot. This is important in order not to damage the structure. jump temperature.
4. The melted water will begin to exit the pipes through those taps that were opened earlier.

If there is no desire to carry out such operations annually, or even several times during the winter, it is worth quickly organizing the warming of the area, which is especially prone to freezing.

In cases where freezing of water has occurred in areas inaccessible to humans, for example, under a foundation, then You can deal with problematic situations with the help of a number of measures:

1. You need to purchase a barrel, a pump and a hose with oxygen. It is necessary to draw hot water into the barrel, the temperature of which will constantly increase.
2. Insert the hose into the pipe and push until it rests on the ice.
3. You need to open the tap and connect it to the hose that goes into the barrel. If there is none, you can use a simple bucket.
4. The pump starts, with the help of which hot water is supplied to the pipes for defrosting ice. From time to time, the pump must be turned off to drain the resulting water.
5. As soon as the problem goes away, the hose must be removed and the water in the pipeline drained.

If the problem has touched the sewer, then you can deal with it if you know how. Usually, sewer pipes do not freeze, because the used water is usually warmer, but in very severe frosts this is possible.

To combat ice blockages in the sewer, you can:

1. Build a fire in the place where the collector is located. This option will be effective if the pipes are not far from the surface. The flame must be maintained as long as possible in order to be able to warm the earth, and with it the sewer.
2. The use of table salt. A home-made, but very effective method is to place a large amount of concentrated salt solution in the sewer pipes, which will not freeze even in severe frost, and the salt will begin to dissolve it upon contact with ice.
3. You can use an electrical cable that you can lead until the moment of icing through the toilet or inspection hatch. Once the device is installed, plug it into the network.
4. You can use the inspection hatch of the septic tank, where a hose for irrigation is inserted through the outlet garden plants. It must be advanced to the place where the presence of ice is expected, and then pour hot water from the water supply inside. Continue the process until the ice is completely gone.

In case of severe frosts in winter and freezing of water in pipes, you need to know how to deal with the situation. First of all, it is important to understand what material the pipes to work with are made of, how deep they are laid and a number of other nuances, after which it will be much easier to choose correct option dealing with ice blockages.

In the event that problems with pipes were found in a private house, namely, their freezing in the winter, then you need to know some secrets in order to prevent such phenomena or skillfully deal with them.

To prevent such phenomena, you should:

• Install water and sewer pipes lower than the frost droops, and this is at least a depth of 120-140 cm. In case of problems with such a deepening, the pipes are carefully insulated.
• Using pipes that are large enough in diameter, you can avoid their rapid freezing. The optimal size would be 50 mm.
• In order to avoid stagnation of water in the system, when arranging it, it is necessary to provide for an angle of inclination so that it flows faster into the source.
• When laying pipes, it is worth staying away from beams, foundations, the thermal conductivity of which is higher than that of the ground, which is a danger to pipes. If possible, it is worth making good insulation if there is reinforced concrete nearby.
• If the water supply is located in a non-residential area where there is no heating, then it is important to additionally insulate it, for which you can use mineral wool, glass wool and foam.
• Living in regions with very severe winters, when arranging a water supply system, it is better to lay a cable nearby that will heat the pipes. Its advantage is that it itself determines the moment when it needs to be turned on and off, but there are also manual models.
• When choosing a pipe, it is worth giving preference to polyethylene rather than polypropylene, because they withstand the process of freezing and thawing ice well.

There are a number of other tips that will help protect the system from freezing or deal with it more effectively:

• To protect the pipeline from freezing, it is worth studying temperature regime region and lower the structure a meter below the mark where frost usually falls. This will allow you to forget about any problems with water in cold weather.
• If the pipes freeze at the intersection of the ground with open space, then an ordinary hair dryer can help, and in especially difficult cases, a building one.
• If problems with pipes occur annually, then it is worth setting a goal to redo the system than constantly dealing with the consequences.
• When the frost is very serious or difficult to solve on your own, it is best to call a professional who will remove the ice plug without any problems.
• If you manage to deal with ice on your own, but you have to constantly clean the system by running water, it can be collected in special containers and then used for household needs.

Those who still use metal water or sewer pipes can deal with ice plugs with the help of terminals that are attached to the problem area, after which the current begins to flow, which heats up the pipe and the ice inside begins to melt. If freezing occurred in a pipe leading directly from the toilet, then one of the options may be to heat the water directly in the plumbing, for which you need a heating element or a boiler. Metal pipes are also heated with a blowtorch, for which you need to make a trench at the location of the sewer and heat the pipe with a lamp, going from bottom to top. Work is being done from cesspool or a septic tank, if there is one, to allow the unhindered exit of water after thawing.