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Because the water expands!

Water when it freezes - - expands. Therefore water in pipes will split the pipes; water in a glass will break the glass; water in plastic jugs will disform the jugs.

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12y ago
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13y ago

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.

Instead, following a complete ice blockage in a pipe, continued freezing and expansion inside the pipe cause trapped water's pressure to increase downstream - between the ice blockage and a closed faucet for example at the end. It's this increase in water pressure, literally thousands of pounds of pressure, that leads to pipe failure. In other words, the pipe bursts where little or no ice has formed.

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14y ago

Water expands when it freezes. Most piping systems allow for expansion and contraction, but only to a certain point. Once there is nowhere else for the pressure to go, the pipe will usually crack or burst. Different piping materials also may become more brittle under severe temperatures. This can usually be alleviated by insulating your homes crawlspace, as well as the pipes and for northern regions may even require the use of heat trace tape to prevent bursting.

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6y ago

When water freezes in (unlagged) pipes during very cold weather, the freezing water in the pipes expands. This can cause splitting in parts of the water pipe, or in forcing open the joints in the piping. When the weather warms, so the ice thaws and the water flows once more in the pipes, so revealing leaks as water pours out through the splits and weakened joints. This is why most burst pipes are only discovered once the ice has melted.

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14y ago

Water expands when frozen, Metal contracts when frozen, somethings gotta give.

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13y ago

Because when the water freezes it expands.

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13y ago

Because of the freezing temperature increases pressure in the pipe causing it to burst.

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6y ago

When water freezes, the ice expands slightly. This puts pressure on the surrounding pipes, which causes them to break at their weakest points.

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10y ago

Because water expands when it freezes.

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Q: Why do water pipes sometimes burst in very cold weather?
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Related questions

During a cold night water pipes sometimes burst What is the reason for that?

They freeze. Water expands when it freezes and the pipe breaks.


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 do water pipes burst in the winter?

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.


Why do water pipes burst when water freezes in them?

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


Will PVC pipes burst if water off?

No


Water pipes burst in winter Why?

Because when water freezes it expands thus bursting the pipes.


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.


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

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


What causes water pipes to burst on Subaru?

Head gasket


Why do water pipes often burst in freezing water?

Water EXPANDS as it freezes, hello.


What are disadvantages of anomalous expansion of water?

water pipes burst due to expansion of water in colder regions.


Why do water pipes burst when water running through freezes?

Because when the water freezes it expands.