Frozen water pipes in new home

AMS18181 · Aug 03, 2014 10:08 am

Our house was built in 2011, in Strathfieldsaye, Central Victoria.
Every time we have a frost, which is common here from May to August, our water pipes freeze, both hot and cold.
I would have thought new building regulations would require sufficient insulation to prevent this from happening?

bpratt · Aug 03, 2014 10:34 am

Are you on tank water or town water ?

If tank water, then it would seem to me that the pipes inside the house are okay, but from the tank to the pump, then to the house need some insulation on them.

It town water, then they should be underground all the way to the house, and there's something allowing them to get really cold to freeze up, as being buried usually means they stay at ground temperature, even if you get freezing temps otherwise.

AMS18181 · Aug 03, 2014 11:05 am

We're on town water. The water is freezing under our house, between the HWS and the faucets.
There is no problem with water getting past the meter to our HWS.
Our house is on stumps, as are other in our street.
However we are the only ones experiencing this problem.

bpratt · Aug 03, 2014 2:50 pm

I dare say the hot is not flowing because there's no cold water to push the hot from the hot water tank.

Is it possible to see what the other houses on stumps in your street are doing with their water pipes ? They may have already learned from experience to insulate their pipes.

Not 100% sure on the rules myself, but I dare say insulation of cold water pipes is not compulsory.