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Shower Mixing Valves - crokett™ - 01-02-2018

I should know this already but when the handle is set to full hot, does any cold water get through?  The upstairs bathroom the shower water lines froze last night - I should have thought to put them on drip.  I am getting a trickle through when it's on cold  setting and drips when it's on full hot.  I'm hoping the drips on hot are not the cold supply getting through but that the hot side isn't frozen solid.


RE: Shower Mixing Valves - crokett™ - 01-02-2018

I checked the sinks. apparently I didn't leave them on enough of a drip since the hot water lines froze. the original plumbing was not run the way I would ave run it was not insulated properly. the builder came out the first winter we were here and 'fixed' it. Apparently not....


RE: Shower Mixing Valves - Roly - 01-02-2018

(01-02-2018, 10:19 AM)crokett™ Wrote: I checked the sinks. apparently I didn't leave them on enough of a drip since the hot water lines froze.   the original plumbing was not run the way I would ave run it was not insulated properly.  the builder came out the first winter we were here and 'fixed' it.  Apparently not....

The single handle valves can let some water cross sides.  Especially with no pressure on one side.     Also remember insulation does not provide heat, only slows the transfer of it.    Insulation can also prevent heat from the house from getting to it.   Rerouting the pipes from a outside wall would be best but may not be possible.    Roly


RE: Shower Mixing Valves - crokett™ - 01-02-2018

the pipes run a long way across the attic. The factory put some conduit in for running services up to the attic, but they did it in the wrong spot. they should have done it in the middle of the house where the bathroom was going to be. I think that what is frozen is nearer to the fixtures than anywhere else. It would be possible for me to reroute up an inside wall, but would be some major surgery.


RE: Shower Mixing Valves - Snipe Hunter - 01-02-2018

I've never seen water pipes in an attic.


RE: Shower Mixing Valves - crokett™ - 01-02-2018

they're common here on slab homes.   I've owned 4 houses.  My previous one is the only one where water pipes weren't in the attic.  It had a basement.    This house the only water pipes in the attic are the ones for this bathroom.  This spring I'll suck it up and get back there and look things over. we didn't have an issue last winter.


RE: Shower Mixing Valves - Roly - 01-03-2018

(01-02-2018, 07:42 PM)crokett™ Wrote: they're common here on slab homes.   I've owned 4 houses.  My previous one is the only one where water pipes weren't in the attic.  It had a basement.    This house the only water pipes in the attic are the ones for this bathroom.  This spring I'll suck it up and get back there and look things over.  we didn't have an issue last winter.

 I have read where they built a insulated box around the pipes and then have a small fan move air through it when temps were low.    It gets way too cold in my area also to have in unheated areas.   -6 the beginning of this week.
Roly


RE: Shower Mixing Valves - Mr_Mike - 01-03-2018

So, you think the pipes are freezing in the attic, not the wall? That might be good. Apply insulation over the pipes and remove it from under the pipes. If things run parallel and perpendicular to joists, it's pretty easy. I'd use rigid foil backed foam and duct tape to make some chases piling up loose or batt insulation where you meet the existing. Pictures would help.

Here, slab homes traditionally have fresh water under the slab. Soft copper that can be bent up at fixture locations (no connections under the slab).

Now, with the use of PEX, its all attic run. But, we don't get that cold.


RE: Shower Mixing Valves - crokett™ - 01-03-2018

the pipes are freezing in the attic. they run up an interior wall to the attic, then go about 25' across the attic on top of the joists. the wall behind the tub in the bathroom is the attic. we thought we had this licked since they didn't freeze last year. I'm going to deal with it later this year after the weather gets nicer. I can get back there, it's just a PITA. I will probably go back, take lots of pics then come back out and decide on a plan with the pics. I believe they are freezing closer to the bathroom.


RE: Shower Mixing Valves - Mr_Mike - 01-03-2018

Good. Like I said, remove insulation between the pipes and the warm house. Place insulation between pipes and the cold attic. Should be intellectually trivial. No clue how much of a PITA the work will be since it isn't my house.