Undersink frozen pipe thawing system
OwnerKurt L. Grossmaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A micro heater assembly (10) is provided with a micro heater (12) on the distal end (14) of an elongated support wire (16). Micro heater (12) is insertable into a normally water-carrying aperture (141) of an accessible pipe portion (68) under a valved outlet/water collecting appliance such as a sink (40) to reach a frozen section (202) of the branch line pipe (70) upstream of pipe portion (68) whereat to easily and reliably thaw pipe (70) from within safely and cost-effectively.
Claims20
A method of thawing a frozen section of a branch line pipe, the branch line pipe being normally adapted to supply water to a faucet associated with a sink and being remote and downstream from a main water feed line, wherein the branch line pipe includes an accessible pipe portion under the sink and extending out from a structural surface situated near the sink and downstream of the frozen section of the branch line pipe, with the accessible pipe portion being coupled through an undersink turn-off valve to the faucet, the method comprising:
- accessing the frozen pipe section from an area defined between under the sink and the structural surface near the sink from which the accessible pipe portion extends by exposing an aperture of the accessible pipe portion to atmosphere at a location that is in the area so defined, which aperture normally carries water therethrough, is under the sink between the sink and the structural surface, and is downstream of the frozen section;
- inserting a micro heater through the pipe portion aperture and upstream towards the frozen pipe section;
- thawing the freeze by the heating action of the micro heater;
- and
- removing the micro heater through the pipe portion aperture.
A method of thawing a frozen section of a first branch line pipe situated adjacent to a second branch line pipe, the second branch line pipe being normally adapted to supply water to a faucet associated with a sink and being remote and downstream from a main water feed line, wherein the second branch line pipe includes an accessible pipe portion under the sink and extending out from a structural surface downstream of a target section of the second branch line pipe adjacent the frozen section of the first branch line pipe, with the accessible pipe portion being coupled through an undersink turn-off valve to the faucet, the method comprising:
- accessing the target section of the second branch line adjacent the frozen pipe section from under the sink by exposing an aperture of the accessible pipe portion to atmosphere, which aperture normally carries water therethrough, is under the sink, and is downstream of the target section;
- inserting a micro heater through the pipe portion aperture and upstream towards the target section;
- thawing the frozen section of the first branch line pipe by the heating action of the micro heater within the second branch line pipe;
- and
- removing the micro heater through the pipe portion aperture.
A method of thawing a frozen section of a branch line pipe, the branch line pipe being normally adapted to supply water to a valved outlet/water collecting appliance and being remote from a main water feed line, wherein the branch line pipe includes an accessible pipe portion under the appliance and extending out from a structural surface near the appliance and downstream of the frozen section of the branch line pipe, with the accessible pipe portion being coupled through a turn-off valve to the appliance, the method comprising:
- accessing the frozen pipe section from an area defined between under the appliance and the structural surface near the appliance by exposing an aperture of the accessible pipe portion to atmosphere at a location that is in the area so defiend, which aperture normally carries water therethrough, is under the appliance between the appliance and the structural surface, and is downstream of the frozen section;
- inserting a micro heater through the pipe portion aperture and upstream towards the frozen pipe section;
- thawing the freeze by the heating action of the micro heater;
- and
- removing the micro heater through the pipe portion aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.