Last winter, my cousin and I decided to spend a weekend at our family's old cabin. You know, one of those rustic places that's charming but kinda falling apart. Anyway, we got there late Friday night, freezing cold outside, snow everywhere. We cranked up the wood stove and thought everything was fine.
Next morning, woke up to a weird dripping sound. Turns out the outdoor pipes had frozen overnight and burst—water everywhere. Like ankle-deep icy water in parts of the cabin. We spent hours trying to mop it up with towels and buckets (and some colorful language). Eventually had to shut off the main valve outside in knee-high snowdrifts wearing pajamas and boots...not fun.
Now I'm thinking about heading back there soon, but honestly I'm a bit paranoid about repeating that disaster. Maybe there's some clever way to prep those pipes or something? Or maybe just a funny story to make me feel better about my own plumbing fail?
Sounds like a rough weekend... Did you guys drain the pipes before leaving last time, or add insulation sleeves? I've found that helps a ton, especially in older cabins with sketchy plumbing.
Yeah, insulation sleeves definitely help, but I've had mixed results with draining pipes—sometimes water still pools in low spots and freezes anyway. Have you considered installing heat tape on the most vulnerable sections? I put some in a cabin a few years back after a similar disaster, and it's been smooth sailing since. Bit of a hassle upfront, but worth it long-term. Did your pipes burst in multiple spots or just one main area?
