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BROKEN ELECTRIC SHOWER - FROZEN PIPES???

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  • 20-12-2010 12:20pm
    #1
    Luckylaydee
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭


    I know everyone has a problem with pipes and water and the weather, if anyone can help me I would really appreciate it. I have an electric shower (upstairs), got up yesterday and switched it on, however, no water came out, very frustrating. All the electrics are working ( well noise coming from the shower), could it be frozen pipes or do you think the shower is actually broken....all the other pipes in the house are ok, washing machine going ok, water in kitchen and bathrooms....would be really helpful before I have to get someone out and they charge me all sorts of money, that I really don't have.

    Thank you in advance


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    #2
    jpb1974
    Registered Users Posts: 3,017 ✭✭✭jpb1974


    More than likely a frozen pipe in the attic.

    I experienced exactly the same issue last year.

    Once the pipe thaws out the shower should be fine.

    Don't turn the shower on for long periods without water passing through it as it may cause damage.


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    #3
    Dilbert75
    Registered Users Posts: 4,724 ✭✭✭Dilbert75


    If you can, you'd be well advised to turn off the supply from the tank to the shower (in the attic) until its defrosted - then when you're turning it back on, you'll be there to turn it off again if it turns out that the pipe has burst. If it bursts and you're not there, you could have massive water damage. Naturally don't attempt to use it when the water to it is turned off.


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    #4
    sh1tstirrer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,489 ✭✭✭sh1tstirrer


    Same thing happened my shower today. I took out the filter and no water. I have water every where else so I am wondering why it is only the shower that is frozen.


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    #5
    woolyhat
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭woolyhat


    jpb1974 wrote: »
    More than likely a frozen pipe in the attic.

    I experienced exactly the same issue last year.

    Once the pipe thaws out the shower should be fine.

    Don't turn the shower on for long periods without water passing through it as it may cause damage.

    How long before it thaws out?


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    #6
    jpb1974
    Registered Users Posts: 3,017 ✭✭✭jpb1974


    How long before it thaws out?

    How long is a piece of string?


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    #7
    loconnor1001
    Registered Users Posts: 323 ✭✭loconnor1001


    Same for me as well. All taps working everywhere else in the house, just the electric shower upstairs. Hopefully will thaw over the weekend, and hopefully I didn't cause damage when I tried to turn it on, only let it go for about 10 - 15 seconds, but still. I guess at least we have water in the rest of the house.


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    #8
    pegasus1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,490 ✭✭✭pegasus1


    leave the attic hatch open a wee bit... to get warm air into the attic...

    more advice on the plumbing&heating section


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    #9
    starbelgrade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,739 ✭✭✭✭starbelgrade


    sh1tstirrer wrote: »
    Same thing happened my shower today. I took out the filter and no water. I have water every where else so I am wondering why it is only the shower that is frozen.

    The pipe to your shower normally passes through the attic.

    It could be in a colder spot than those supplying water to the sinks.

    If you can get into the attic & follow the pipe from the tank to the direction of the shower, then that's the one - try heating it along the length with a hairdryer, without overheating it in spots as this could cause the pipe to split.

    Alternatively you could leave the attic door open & the heating on, or put a heater in the attic to raise the air temperature by a few degrees.


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    #10
    groveman60
    Registered Users Posts: 41 ✭groveman60


    Some years ago, in an older house than this, the insulation of the water pipes in the loft left two pipe junctions uninsulated. There was severe frost one winter and the upstairs shower did not have a water flow one morning. When I went up in the attic to inspect the pipes, the frost had expanded the uninsulated junctions and forced the pipes out of the junctions.There was half an inch of solid ice where the pipes had been forced out.
    In the present spell of frosty weather I leave the hatch open a little.


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    #11
    jpb1974
    Registered Users Posts: 3,017 ✭✭✭jpb1974


    The parents had the same issue earlier this week.

    The father is fairly handy and found the affected pipe in the attic and managed to resolve the issue.

    They have since bought a small fan heater and put it in the attic and leave it to run between circa midnight to 6am. This basically just takes the nip out of the air and prevents the cold from taking over.


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    #12
    Cantona's Collars
    Registered Users Posts: 33,709 ✭✭✭✭Cantona's Collars


    Make sure all exposed pipes in your attic are insulated,a lot of people didn't do it after last years big freeze and got caught out again.I checked mine a couple of weeks ago,found a couple of places that were missed and simply wrapped them in attic insulation.No problems so far touch wood.


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    #13
    Ayman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭Ayman


    Happened to me last year in the house I was in then. Boy what a noise those showers make when they're dry! Quite scary. Anyhow, I just left the attic door open for a couple of hours and did the trick nicely ;)


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