Watch out for frozen water pipes and water heater failure tomorrow morning!How to properly drain water – Weather News

This is a chart showing the risk of freezing water pipes according to the expected lowest temperature in the Weather News weather forecast.

With the exception of the southern Kanto region and some coastal areas, there is a high risk of freezing, and almost all of the country has a warning rank. Even in the southern part of the Kanto region, there are places with a caution rank, so advance measures are required.

When the outside temperature drops below freezing, not only can the road surface and car glass freeze, but even in urban areas, the water in water pipes and water heaters can freeze, making it impossible to supply water. drop) operation is required.

I summarized the correct draining method and precautions that should be checked before it gets cold.

Every year from December to February, the water supply freezes frequently. Once the water supply freezes, not only will it be inconvenient for your life, but it will also cost you a lot of repair costs. Even in areas other than northern Japan, it is necessary to pay attention to freezing under the following conditions.

(1) When the outside temperature drops below -4°C
(2) When the midwinter day (day when the outside temperature is below freezing all day) continues
(3) When you are away from home for a long time before going to bed, traveling, returning home, etc.

In such a case, draining the water is effective in preventing the water from freezing. If you know how to remove the water, anyone can easily do it. Drainage mechanisms and procedures depending on the type of housing are as follows.

Each detached house is supplied with water from the water main to the faucet through a branched water pipe. When you close the “drain valve” attached to the water pipe, the water coming from the water main stops.

However, at this time, there is still water near the faucet, so when you open the faucet, the remaining water will be released, and the water in the water pipe leading to the house will be gone. This is the drainage system. By eliminating the water inside, you can prevent the water pipe from freezing.

Drain valves are generally located near water-related areas such as kitchens and places where washing machines are stored, but they are sometimes installed in toilets and living rooms, and there are various shapes and operations, such as manual and electric. The method of draining water differs depending on the device, so be sure to check the instruction manual in advance.

Let’s take a closer look at the water removal process.

[Procedure for draining water]
(1) Make sure all faucets in the house are closed.
(2) Operate the drain plug (close until the handle or lever stops completely)
(3) Open all the faucets in the house and drain the water (open everything including the lever of the toilet)
(4) Close all open faucets when the water has drained.

First, make sure all the faucets in your house are closed before operating the drain valve. For manual operation, turn the stopper to close. Close until the handle or lever stops completely. If it is an electric type, press the “drain switch”.

Next, open all the faucets in the house, such as the kitchen and the washbasin, to let the water out. In addition to the faucet in the bathroom, please use water from the shower as well. Secure the toilet so that the flush lever does not return, or flush several times to empty the tank. Also, if you have an inflator faucet, open it all the way.

Be careful of freezing by pumping out the water in the toilet or adding antifreeze. It is safe to remove the water in the water heater, washing machine, and warm water toilet seat.

After draining the water, if you leave it as it is for about 10 minutes, most of the water in the water pipe will come out. Don’t forget to close any faucets you opened afterwards. When resuming water supply, make sure that all faucets are closed before opening the drain valve.

In the case of condominiums, the water pipes that branch off from the main water pipe are further divided into each faucet in each exclusive space. The draining mechanism is the same as for a detached house.

First, check the location of the drain plug. Drain valves in condominiums are generally installed in the “pipe space” in the corridor outside the common space. After carefully checking the room number, close the water supply valve installed on the pipe.

Then open the drain valve. In addition, depending on the condominium, it may be necessary to obtain permission from the management association, manager, or landlord to enter, exit, or open/close the pipe space, which is a common area, so please check in advance.

The procedure after opening each faucet is the same as for a detached house.

In relatively warm regions, there are many detached houses, condominiums, and apartments that do not have drain plugs installed.

Outdoor faucets, exposed water pipes that are directly exposed to the outside air, and pipes around water heaters are prone to freezing, but pipes around water meters in well-ventilated areas on the north side of apartment buildings can also freeze. I have.

If you anticipate a situation where there is a risk of the water pipes freezing, make sure that the water pipes are “prepared for winter” as a preventive measure.

Wrap exposed faucets and water pipes with anti-freeze material or cloth, and cover the outside with garbage bags, bubble wrap, or other products made of materials that do not allow water to pass through. Furthermore, by wrapping vinyl tape or packing tape over it and fixing it, it will be a measure against the cold.

In buildings without drain valves, opening the faucet a little and letting the water run slowly will prevent the water pipes from freezing. Don’t leave the water down the drain, save it in a bucket and reuse it as washing water.

Even if the water pipes that are not directly exposed to the outside air do not freeze, in recent years there have been frequent occurrences of freezing and failure of water heater pipes installed outdoors. The import and supply of products and parts have been delayed due to the corona crisis, and once a water heater breaks down, it may take time to repair and restore it, so be careful of breakdowns and damage more than usual. It is better to

Water heaters are equipped with “anti-freezing functions” such as automatic pumps and heaters for the main body, but they are not effective in preventing freezing of the pipes.

If there is a risk of freezing, turn off the operation switch on the remote control for both electric and gas water heaters. Turn off electric water heaters that do not have a remote control, and close the gas taps on gas water heaters.

After that, keep running water at a rate of about 400ml per minute from the hot water faucet. It is economical to receive water in a bathtub or the like.

The location and shape of the drain plug, and the construction and plumbing of the water pipes differ for each condominium, apartment, and house. If you have even the slightest doubt, don’t overdo it and ask the contractor who built the house or the management company.

A lack of water supply can have a huge impact on your daily life. Especially in winter, water heater failure is a serious problem. In order to prevent problems with water pipes and water heaters from making your life inconvenient, let’s pay attention to the following three points: -4°C temperature, continuous midwinter days, and no water supply for a long period of time.