The thermostat settings should be documented to determine the status of the heating system. If mechanical failure is suspected, then further investigation such as destructive inspection or testing may be required. It is important to understand the condition of the furnace or boiler by checking for fault codes, tripped breakers, control settings, power supply and previous maintenance and repairs performed on the unit. Mechanical failure of a furnace or boiler can cause a loss of heat in the entire building, which typically results in multiple pipe breaks throughout the building. If the break location was on an interior wall, then there was likely insufficient heat in that room or the entire building. That is generally caused by a construction defect where the pipe was not properly insulated, installed in the improper location or there may have been insufficient heat in the room. For example, if the pipe break occurred on an exterior wall, then perhaps the pipe was outside of the thermal envelope of the building. The location of the pipe break can tell a lot about how the break may have occurred. To understand the cause of a pipe freeze, the following questions are typically asked: Was there a construction defect? Was there a mechanical failure that caused a loss of heat? Was the heat on or off? What was the thermostat setting? Analyzing the characteristics of the pipe break, utility data and weather data will help in answering those questions. In some cases, such as when buildings are vacant, this duration may be months. When the ice plug melts and the water supply is not isolated, the water will flow out of the break until such a time that the leak is identified and isolated. Thawing conditions typically occur when the outside temperature is at or above 35°. Pressure in the pipe can exceed 10,000 psi, which can easily cause metal and rigid plastic pipe to burst, fittings to fracture or separate, or valves to break.Īfter the break occurs, pressure is relieved and the small amount of water between the ice plug and the restriction may leak out however, most damage occurs after the ice plug melts and the water begins to flow. However, if there is a restriction in the pipe, such as another ice plug or a closed valve (sink faucet, shower, etc.), then the pressure between the ice plug and the restriction greatly increases due to the expansion of the ice plug. If the water on either side of the ice plug has somewhere to go, such as an open path back to the water supply, then the pressure will be relieved. When the water in the pipe freezes, an ice plug forms inside the pipe, which expands about 9%.
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