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If you don't insulate water pipes or protect them in some way from the cold, the water inside the pipes can freeze. This causes you to be without water until the pipes warm up enough to thaw. Also, when the water freezes, it can expand and burst the pipes which will then need to be replaced. Save yourself the aggravation of having no water and the cost of replacing pipes by insulating them. To protect pipes in an empty or unused building, you can pour anti-freeze down all drains and in the toilet to winterize them.

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12y ago
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13y ago

Ice forms in the pipes. When water freezes it expands a little bit! In water pipes it sometimes expands just enough to split the pipe.

The reason why water pipes sometimes burst in winter is because water pipes are full of water and in the winter the air is very cold, sometimes in the UK even 2 or 3 degrees celcius. Because the air is so cold, and the air is surrounding the water pipes

During the winter, the cold air is surrounding the pipes, which has water. The air turns the water inside the pipes to ice. When water freezes, it expandes. The frozen water expanded just enough to cause the pipe to burst.

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13y ago

You must keep water pipes from freezing because when water is cooling to the point of freezing, the particles contract. But eventually when frozen too long the ice expands, not melting but expands which can damage the actual pipe.

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12y ago

because the water inside the pipes freezes which causes ice to be created, which then expands and causes the pipe to burst

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Q: Why do water pipes burst in the winter?
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Related questions

Water pipes burst in winter Why?

Because when water freezes it expands thus bursting the pipes.


Do 10 mm diameter water pipes burst after freezing in winter?

Yes, they can


What happens if you don't use antifreeze in the winter?

The water in your pipes will freeze, and then burst!


Because of this anomalous expansion of water that water pipes sometimes burst during winter?

Anomalous expansion of water and bursting of water pipes during winter is because ice takes more space than water


Why place water pipes below the frost line?

If you didn't, they could freeze in the winter and burst.


Why do water pipes sometimes burst during the winter?

The water inside uninsulated pipes may freeze and expand during a cold winter, pushing opening joints or splitting the pipes, often unnoticed. When the thaw comes, the ice in the pipes melt, and the water pressure returns, and the water is able to spray out through the damaged pipes.


Will PVC pipes burst if water off?

No


Why do water pipes burst when water freezes in them?

Becuase when water freezes, it expands and burst the pipe from the inside.


What causes water pipes to burst when the outside temperature is 5 degrees below zero?

Water freezes at 0 deg C. As the water freezes in the pipes, it expands and it is the force of expansion which causes the pipes to burst.


Why should water pipes in houses be well insulated so that they are not likely to freeze during the winter?

You gave the answer in the last part - you don't want them to freeze and burst during winter.


What do you call a GENERALIZED NAME who mends water pipes?

A plumber is a tradesman (or woman) who mends burst water pipes.


What is the difference between the shape from the solid form ice and the liquid form?

Water expands when turning to ice (which is why water pipes can burst in winter). So the difference is in volume (size).