A very common occurrence that all RV owners have to face during the cold winter months is when the water pipes of the vehicle freeze. Nothing is more annoying than turning on the faucet to discover the absence of water, but this nuisance can be fixed very easily.
RV owners have the option of either calling a plumbing service that specializes in RV maintenance and repair work as they have the necessary expertise required; or you can do it yourself by using any one of the following tools for unfreezing the pipes of your RV.
Tool# 1: Heat Tape
The first thing that you must do is to check the pipes to make sure that there aren’t any cracks on them. Provided you know the exact location where the pipe is frozen and if there aren’t any visible cracks, the one thing you can do is to unfreeze that area by using a heat tape.
Don’t be fooled by the word tape, because the item is actually a wire that can be wrapped around the pipe. After doing that, plug the other end of the heat tape into a power outlet which will warm up the wire from the electric current. The pipe, in turn, will also be warmed up.
Tool# 2: Plumber’s Torch
Before using a plumber torch to unfreeze the pipes of your RV, make sure that the water pipes are made of copper or steel. For this too, first check the pipes for any breaks or cracks and find the area of the pipe that has to be unfrozen.
Move the lighted torch back and forth over the pipe to heat it up, but be careful not to overheat it as that could cause the pipe to burst. Use only a minimal amount of heat at a time. One other thing to consider is the comfort level of using a torch in the first place; otherwise, this method is not suitable at all.
Tool# 3: Heat Gun
Not anybody can use a plumber’s torch confidently which is why another great and very safe option that RV owners can use to unfreeze their water pipes is a heat gun.
This tool is very easy to use and doesn’t require as much precision as the other alternative does. Simply point the tool on the affected area you wish to unfreeze and move it back and forth slowly so that sufficient heat can be distributed evenly between the frozen points.
Tool# 4: Piping Hot Machine
This particular tool can prove to be especially convenient if the RV is parked in your driveway, and is ideal for unfreezing water pipes. Owners can rent the tool very easily from a local plumbing store, or they can even purchase a brand-new one.
The piping hot machine comes equipped with spring loaded clamps that are attached to the pipes, and the section is heated by turning on the machine.
Even though these tools can be used to get rid of the problem, why go through all the trouble? Just hire a local plumbing service that specializes in solving plumbing issues with RVs and you are good to go.