Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-11
Freezing Pipes and Wasting Water


To the Editor of The Evening Star:
I desire to call the attention Of the pub
lie and the authorities to the fact that
much of the difficulty caused by the freez-
ing of the water PIPES can be prevented,
as / have demonstrated in some of my
cwn buildings. The one thing necessary
is simply not to run the pipes against the
outer walls. at least nowhere above the
basement, and not even there IL the base
ment is not warmed in any way. 1t is a
very simple matter, and costs no more. as
a general rule. to run the pipes up either
In or on a partition or inside walls, where,
in nearly all houses, they will not freeze
1t is rare that in our brick houses water
freezes in the kitchen or inside rooms, and
if the pipes were run there instead of
agar st the outside walls they would not
freeze up.
OF course, In frame houses and in some
of the cheaper brick houses they would
freeze up wherever placed but in all such
the pipes should be inclosed in larger
pipe or a casing of wood, and be packed
around with mineral wool, plaster of paris
or other non-conducting material In all
buildings where there is a possibility Of
their freezing there should be a cutoff
Geek or valve in the supply pipe where it
enters the building, and the pipes within
should be connected with the sewer by a.
short pipe at the lowest point and a valve
so that whenever there is cold spell the
supply can be shut off at night and the
water in the pipes be drained into the
sewer.
Such plan would cost a mere trifie. and
1T would accomplish two purposes-frst
prevent the freezing and often the burst
ing OF the water pipes in the house, and
second do away with the practice of let
ting the water run to prevent freezing.
now so common. This latter is a very Sc
rious matter, as 1t so lowers the head
tfat the water will not rise in other peo-
pies houses high enough to supply their
reeds. In one of my neighbours buildings
today the water will not supply the water
closet; and thus while in that the pipes
are so run that they never freeze, still
they are deprived of water by others let
ting 1t run to prevent freezing These are
matters that should be embodied in the
plumbing regulations, and the inspector
of plumbing should have the power to en-
force them in every house hereafter erect
ed, and, where ii can be conveniently
done, compel a change in the houses al
ready eiected
There is no justice or reason in having
large portion of the citizens robbed of
their water supply by the neglect and
carelessness of those who will make no
effort to prevent it, whether these latter
be the owners or occupants of buildings,
when 1t is so easy to prevent it,
There has been altogether too little at
tention given to this matter. and also to
the sinking of the mains deeper where
the surface has been graded off from one
to two feet in improving the streets, and
which causes the service pipes in the
streets to freeze every time we have a
very severe spell of cold weather, as hum
dreds were few years ago and are to-
day. The mildness of the climate has no
doubt led to this carelessness, but we all
know that We are subject to these cold
spells every few years, and, therefore.
provision should be made for these ex-
trenes of cold both in the buildings and
in the streets
IT does seem to me that this is subject
TO which the Commissioners should give
attention. and if need be, Congress also,
as the government is interested in the
water supply as we'll as the citizens. From
my own experience. I know it is feasible
to prevent the present troubles, if only the
proper authorities will give it the atten-
ton 1t deserves. If they have not the
necessary authority. let them go to Con-
gress and get 1t. But / think they have,
at least so far as new buildings are con-
cerned. SUFFERER.
Mr.. Farder. conservative, has been re-
turned without opposition as member of
the British parliament for South Padding
ton, in succession to the late Lord Ran
dolph Churchill.