Nature: Automatic Fire Alarm

Automatic Fire Alarms – Water Flow Activations – Broken Water Pipes – Inclement Weather Related…

In January, the Indian River fire district exterior temperatures hovered in the single digit ranges between 5 degrees and 9 degrees causing many residential fire alarm systems to activate as a result of broken water pipes and water flow incidents.

These incidents have caused much damage and necessary repair expenses.

Illustrated herewith is commentary to assist with preventing frozen pipes…

Preventing Frozen Pipes…

When water freezes, it expands. If the water expands enough, the pipe bursts, water escapes and serious damage may result…

Why Pipes Burst...

Surprisingly, ice forming in a pipe does not typically cause a break where the ice blockage occurs. It's not the radial expansion of ice against the wall of the pipe that causes the break. Rather, following a complete ice blockage in a pipe, continued freezing and expansion inside the pipe causes water pressure to increase downstream -- between the ice blockage and a closed faucet or sprinkler head at the end. It's this increase in water pressure that leads to pipe failure. Usually the pipe bursts where little or no ice has formed. Upstream from the ice blockage the water can always retreat back towards its source, so there is no pressure build-up to cause a break. Water has to freeze for ice blockages to occur. Pipes that are adequately protected along their entire length by placement within the building's insulation, insulation on the pipe itself, or heating, are safe.

Regional Differences...

Generally, houses in northern climates are built with the water pipes located on the inside of the building insulation, which protects the pipes from subfreezing weather. However, extremely cold weather and holes in the building that allow a flow of cold air to come into contact with pipes can lead to freezing and bursting.

Water pipes in houses in southern climates often are more vulnerable to winter cold spells. The pipes are more likely to be located in unprotected areas outside of the building insulation, and homeowners tend to be less aware of freezing problems, which may occur only once or twice a season.

Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are all vulnerable to freezing, especially if there are cracks or openings that allow cold, outside air to flow across the pipes. Research at the University of Illinois has shown that wind chill, the cooling effect of air and wind that causes the human body to lose heat, can play a major role in accelerating ice blockage, and thus bursting, in water pipes.

Holes in an outside wall where television, cable or telephone lines enter can provide access for cold air to reach pipes. The size of pipes and their composition (e.g., copper or PVC) have some bearing on how fast ice forms, but they are relatively minor factors in pipe bursting compared with the absence of heat, pipe insulation and exposure to a flow of subfreezing air.

Mitigating the Problem...

Water freezes when heat in the water is transferred to subfreezing air. The best way to keep water in pipes from freezing is to slow or stop this transfer of heat.

Ideally, it is best not to expose water pipes to subfreezing temperatures, by placing them only in heated spaces and keeping them out of attics, crawl spaces and vulnerable outside walls.

Cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes should be sealed with caulking to keep cold wind away from the pipes. Kitchen and bathroom cabinets can keep warm inside air from reaching pipes under sinks and in adjacent outside walls. It's a good idea to keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to let the warm air circulate around the pipes. Electric heating tapes and cables are available to run along pipes to keep the water from freezing. These must be used with extreme caution; follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully to avoid the risk of fire, and check to make sure the product conforms to UL 2049. Tapes and cables with a built-in thermostat will turn heat on when needed. Tapes without a thermostat have to be plugged in each time heat is needed, and may be forgotten.

What should I do if my pipes freeze?

If you turn on a faucet and get no water, your pipes may be frozen. If your pipes freeze, there are some procedures that you can follow to thaw them. The sooner the problem is recognized, the better chance that damage will be minimized.

Some techniques for thawing frozen pipes include:

• If possible, expose a boxed-in area to the inside heat. An example includes opening some ceiling tiles if your home has a drop ceiling.

• Use a heat gun. However, be extremely careful as the heat from the heat gun will ignite any wood or paper it contacts.

• DO NOT use torches to thaw pipes!

• Rubbing the pipes with warm, damp rags may slowly thaw the line.

• If you do not have water for an extended period of time, special attention should be given to hot water heaters and boilers.

What should I do if a pipe breaks?

Shut off your water immediately, using your home's shutoff valve.

Where are my shutoff valves?

There are actually two major shutoff valves in line with your service. The first valve, called a curb stop, is generally located near the property line and is normally housed by a cylinder with a cap on it called the curb box. The other major valve is located in the home next to the water meter. Other valves may be near plumbing appliances such as sinks and toilets.

Keeping your main valve in good working condition will assure you that you will be able to turn your water off in the event of an emergency, in case one of your water pipes breaks, for example. Older style gate valves should be turned periodically due to possible corrosion build-up. Newer Teflon coated ball valves should stay in working order without any regular turning.

Source: Institute for Business and Home Safety. IBHS is a national nonprofit initiative of the insurance industry to reduce deaths, injuries, property damage, economic losses and human suffering caused by natural disasters.

Illustrated herewith are examples of broken pipes encountered during the month of January 2014:

http://irvfc.com/gallery?id=1533&ss=1

http://irvfc.com/gallery?id=1530&ss=1

http://irvfc.com/gallery?id=1529&ss=1

http://irvfc.com/gallery?id=1528&ss=1