When we first saw it, we thought it was plaster with wood lathe. We was wrong. Check it out:
This frozen pipe issue needed to be addressed. I mean, how long can a family go without being able to use the bathroom sink, ya know? Well, I don't have the tools to cut through the ceiling, but I have a hammer and my right arm:
That 8-foot section of ceiling took FOREVER to demolish. And now I have a very sore arm and a raw spot the size of a nickel on my palm. It's not good. There's a section of my palm that is still bleeding under the skin. I promise, I will whine about it. Cause it hurts like a mother. And I don't think it's going away anytime soon...But I don't think the pipes are going to freeze anymore! I deem tonight to be a success, as I was able to bash the hell out of enough of the ceiling to expose it to the basement's heat (thanks to that lovely-but-terribly-inefficient boiler).
Once I stuck my head up there, I found the source of all the cold air. Raise your hand if you guessed that it had something to do with termites. (If you raised your hand, you are correct.)
Those dang bugs ate through the side of the house, exposing the area between the basement ceiling and tile floor to outside air. Since the ceiling is so thick and permanent, it insulates very well, which made it a great space for pipes to freeze in. While on topic of the basement, I'll share a couple more fun photos. The basement really is an interesting place. A section of it (that I will not upload a photo of) resembles the Auschwitz gas chamber. And there are pipes everywhere. The infamous boiler:
It's on its last legs. The amount of crud in the tank and the lines is incredible. No wonder it has to run constantly... it's heating and circulating more rust and crap than steam. I open the valve, crap freely flows from the boiler, then I dump the bucket down the utility tub drain. Guess which side I dump it on?
8 comments:
that sucks about the termites and boiler. did you find any more termite damage that will have to be replaced?
it looks like they tried to cover up the fact that the boiler was rusting through?! i like how they tried to match the paint. :)
good luck in the process to keep pipes thawed and the house warm. right now our apartment is 55 degrees...but it feels so warm after skiing all day in 0 degree weather!
i have some carpet that needs to be replaced and last week, i had to flush twice to get my pooh down.
so... ummm... what are you saying?
you have your home improvements, and i have mine.
you are the man!
We had a problem with our water pipes freezing too while in Michigan. Not sure why with the 1/2 inch think aluminum walls in that God-forsaken trailer...* Anyway what you can try is - if you know that it will be below freezing or typically sub 20 degrees - slightly turn the sink on and keep water running (just more than a drip for the rest of the night) and turn it back off in the morning. Apparently running water cannot freeze...which i didn't know until I had to thaw my pipes with a hair dryer.
I second what Tye recommended about the running water. It works, tried and true, ie. bliz of '78. The top photo in your "frozen update" looks like my arteries..!!
Dan W
I have fixed many frozen pipes. It is nice if you can thaw them as soon as possible, like within an hour of the freeze. If you don't, the pipe is likely to split and then you have a pipe repair to make.
I didn't see an email contact on your blog, but I wanted to send you a link to this article about your favorite pastor:
http://www.goodmagazine.com/section/Features/god_without_the_fuss
We've got a stucco/cemented-over sheetrock/plasterboard (Goodwall?) ceiling in the basement of our 1938 home -- and I HATE it. Why people want to hide (and hello provide a haven for bugs and mold) the systems and floor joists is beyond me. If we end up staying here long enough, I'm going to remove it, piece-by-piece.
Sorry -- I know this was about frozen pipes, but the ceiling thing caught my eye. You have my sympathy and prayers!
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