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mike[_22_]

On 11/27/2013 3:08 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 26 Nov 2013 23:23:40 +0000 (UTC), DerbyDad03
wrote:

Jon Danniken wrote:
On 11/25/2013 05:21 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
"bob" wrote:
During feezing weather, I like to leave a faucet dripping to reduce the
chances of freezing pipe. However, people including me sometimes forget
and turn off the faucet completely.

Is there a dedicated valve that can be installed under the sink to let a
trickle of water out and directly into the p trap? This way nobody sees
the dripping and cannot accidentally turn it off.

Real tough to tell if you are serious, but I'll play along...

Define "dripping" in terms of enough to prevent freezing.

Why are you concerned with this particular faucet freezing in the first
place?

There's lot of details that you should be sharing.

This is recommended up here in the PNW whenever we get a lengthy cold
snap (as we are getting now). The idea is that a little flow somewhere
in the house keeps the water moving, and prevents freezing/ruptured pipes.

Just read one such recommendation a few days ago, actually.

Never done it myself, and have never had any trouble (I do cover the
outside hose bib, however).

Jon

I am familiar with the concept that running water does not freeze. That
still leaves the question of what the OP means by "dripping". I could take
a faucet apart, deform the washer or nick the seat and cause the faucet to
drip even when fully turned off. However, will that be enough to prevent
freezing? I don't know, because I don't know how much the OP wants the
faucet to drip.

Running water doesn't freeze because:

1. If it froze it wouldn't be running.

2. It's moving heat from somewhere else.

In this case, a running faucet doesn't freeze because or #2. The
water doesn't stand in the cold part of the pipe long enough to cool
off the freezing point. If the "drip" doesn't move enough water to
keep the temperature above the freezing point, it will freeze. The
fact that the water is moving is irrelevant.

As I said earlier, there are lots of details the OP should be sharing if
(s)he wants a definitive solution to the problem.

Insulating the pipe is the correct solution.

Insulating the pipe is usually a good thing.
It may be the solution.
If the water is not moving and bringing in more heat, insulation will
just mean it takes longer to freeze. It may be that there's enough
conduction
thru the water and the pipe from a part of the pipe in a warm
environment to keep the temperature up. But insulation on the warm
part of the pipe reduces that effect.
Most home dwellers won't have the knowledge to figure out the fine details.