Hello

First post ever here. Just found this group. Great place.

I have a house in Toronto. I have a water pipe for the outside garden hose
tap that runs through the concrete block wall between my family room and
the enclosed garage. It makes a 90 degree turn, goes through the concrete
block of the house, and into the garage where there is then another turn,
followed by a run, and another turn, and a run, followed by a turn to the
outside garden. In other works, it's sloped but not that much, and long
with turns.

There is an accessible shut-off inside the house, just before the pipe makes
the first 90 degree right turn in a copper elbow passing through the
concrete block and into the garage. The garage is not heated. Most years,
despite the fact I drain the line and keep the valve outside open, there
seems to be enough water in the first elbow to freeze and crack the copper.
This elbow is INSIDE the house, just as it turns to go through the concrete
block wall. It's a pain to repair, through this small access panel in the
back of a wall unit facing the garage.

I'd like to know if there is a better way to blow the water out of the line
than just turning off the shut-off, opening up the drain cap (to let the
air in) and turning on the tap in the garden.

Also, is there such thing as a SMALL, LOW WATTAGE SAFE heater I can plug in
that will raise the temperature in this small confined area just a few
degrees so that it's less likely to freeze at that first joint in the
house.

Thanks

Harry