My neighbor's main house trap in the basement is against an exterior wall, cast in a concrete bench about 1ft above the basement floor. Problem is, the house is on a steep hillside and the basement facade in question is exposed (from top to bottom) to the open, so when it gets really REALLY cold and there's no water flow for 12+/- hours (i.e. overnight), the trap freezes. In the past, he's tried to keep some water running to keep it from freezing. Or he gets out a heat gun and thaws it in the morning. I see no alternative other than some targeted demolition to break out the trap, replace it (because it will break during concrete demo) and keep it exposed to the basement air instead of encased in concrete, so it won't freeze. Of course, this runs the risk of chasing the pipe as you break the concrete and more pipe breaks along the way. The house is from the 1940s and the pipe is 6" diameter cast iron.
Any other suggestions?
Thanks
Theodore
Any other suggestions?
Thanks
Theodore