How To Keep Pipes From Freezing In Crawl Space?

How to keep pipes from freezing in crawl space? To keep the pipes protected from freezing in the crawl space, you must keep the area warm. Whether it is through insulating or using heat cables, you have to use something for an extended temperature.

Other than that, keeping the house warm, covering the pipes, and keeping the doors closed are also effortless techniques to prevent pipes from freezing.

However, knowing about the prevention steps to keep the pipes of the crawl space safe is not enough. It is also important to know the reasons behind it along with the side effects.

This article will tell you everything about it.

Keep reading!

How To Keep Pipes From Freezing In Crawl Space?

When the winter comes, many things change. For example, we have to be ready with the precautions for the elements that can be frozen because of the temperature. The pipe in the crawl space is one of them.

We cover our outdoor faucets to prevent freezing during winter but we forget about the crawl space. In fact, the crawl space is one of the most exposed areas where air can enter easily and make the pipes freeze.

The below traits will make you certain about the situation with prevention techniques.

Reasons Why Pipes Freeze In Crawl Space:

Before we step out to prevent our pipes from freezing in the crawl space, we have to first know the reason behind it. Well, water is something that is delicate to the weather. When the temperature rises, the water becomes hot and when the temperature becomes low the water becomes cold.

When the weather is cold then it is obvious for the water to get frozen especially in pipes and crawl spaces.

Study says water expands up to 10% when it faces extreme cold weather. Besides, it increases the water pressure and makes the pipe stretch. Since the pipes can’t hold the stretching, they tend to burst out.

Side Effects Of Pipe Freezing In Crawl Space:

So far we have known why a pipe freezes. Now it is time to know the side effects that can occur due to this problem. Well, frozen water inside a pipe will not only burst the pipe but also cause structural damage. Like hampering the wall where the faucet is connected.

Don’t worry, we have some amazing tricks to guide you that can prevent your pipe from freezing in crawl spaces. All you need to do is insulate the crawl space. But don’t jump to this step directly. We have some alternatives as well.

Insulating The Crawl Space:

One of the most common and effective ways to prevent a pipe from freezing is insulating the crawl space. If you see, a crawl space has lots of pipes which remain exposed for 24 hours. Just insulate the space and you can stay tension free.

Here are some tips below which can allow you to provide effective insulation to your crawl space.

• First thing first, you have to clean the crawl area and remove all the unwanted things from there.
• Next, give a good shape to the joists and beams. If any of them is damaged, replace it.
• Now for insulating the crawl space, you will need rigid foam.
• Attach the place of the walls and floor joists and seal the entry points where air can enter. You can use a low-expansion foam for that.
• Since moisture can build up in the ground you have to install a vapour barrier. A 20 mil barrier would be perfect for it.
• Lastly, insulate the plumbing with heating tape to prevent freezing in the pipes.

Don’t think that rigid foam insulation is only going to be your saviour. You can also opt for spray foam insulation or cellulose insulation.

Cover The Pipes:

Sometimes, covering the crawl space only may not be enough to protect the pipes. For additional protection, it is a good idea to cover the pipes as well. If possible, go with foam insulation for this step.

Turn Off The Tap:

If the insulation process seems costlier to you, you can simply turn off the tap. Just go to the basement of your faucet and turn the shut-off valve off. Afterwards, drain the water from the pipes and there will be no water left to freeze.

Allow Faucets To Drip:

A trapped pressure is created when there is freezing water in the faucet. If you don’t keep water remaining in the faucets, then it won’t freeze. The better option would be to let the faucet drip so that there remains no water to freeze.

Keep The Heating On:

Keeping the heating on can keep your house warm. The constant temperature will fall in the crawl space will keep it warm as well. This can cost you a lot since the bill is going to be higher.

Keep The Doors Close:

Have you ever noticed that keeping the doors and windows open during winter allows cool air to come in? The same goes for the crawl space.

When you keep the doors open, especially the garage doors, that lets the freezing air come inside. This disrupts the insulation of pipes. To prevent your pipe in the crawl space from freezing, make sure you have kept all the doors closed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Pipes Freeze In A Crawlspace?

Crawl spaces are exposed areas where air can enter easily. So it is usual for the pipes in this area to freeze when the temperature is too cold, i.e. below 32° F.

At What Temperature Do Crawl Space Pipes Freeze?

Usually, the pipes in the crawl space are prone to freezing when the temperature goes below 32 degrees F. But mostly it has been seen that pipes freeze when the temperature is around 20 degrees F.

How To Winterize A Crawl Space Pipe?

Winterizing a crawl space pipe means insulating it. Well, you can do that by wrapping the pipes in foam insulation. Also, insulate the foundation walls so that heat doesn’t go away and the crawl space remains warm.

Final Thoughts

So far we have known how to keep pipes from freezing in crawl space. Hopefully, it is going to be an easy task for us to protect our pipes in the crawl space. But if you think that preventing the pipes is not your cup of tea, don’t worry.

Simply take professional support. Or if you have failed after several attempts, you can also do the same. Being certain about protecting the pipes in the crawl space is never a bad idea. So buckle up before the winter comes.

Thank you.