frozen toilet

[pudgybear]

we had a power failure, and i don't know how but my neighbors toilet in the back of his garage froze - my question is how do we get the ice out, by placing a portable electric heater in the bathroom will that cause any problem such as expantion and crack the toilet - - - - how do we thaw it out without breaking it?

 

[slik560]

We used to winterize toilets in empty houses by pouring antifreeze into the bowl. Even though it's already frozen, this might help while you apply a mild heat source to the room. Good luck. Fingers crossed!!!

 

[steam_mill]

Has the problem at the cottage....Electric heater, heat the space up....Thaw it slowly.

If it hasn't cracked already, warming it up slowly shouldn't crack it either....Water shrinks as it warm up, by heating it slowly (ie. the room), then you shouldn't have a problem.

Next issue may be the trap may be frozen also the water feedline may have cracked the copper pipe....You won't know this until it is all thawed.

 

[mitusa]

If it was going to break, it would prolly have done so when it froze, right?

 

[5lima30]

Like the others said pour in RV anti-freeze and use a small electric heater and say a prayer that it didn't crack inside. IME if it cracks, it tends to be around the inside base where it is hard to see. Good luck!

 

[Gary S]

If it was going to break, it would prolly have done so when it froze, right?

Correct. Freezing water expands it and that causes things to break. Thawing it just shows you where freezing broke it.
Just park a space heater in the area and let it slowly thaw it out. Either it is already broken or it will be OK.

 

[SteveCh]

Couple winters back, I had a bathtub trap freeze during an unusually bitter cold snap. In desperation, I took some driveway ice melt crystals and dissolved them in warm water, poured that solution into my tub. It took a few hours, but it eventually melted the frozen trap.

So, I had a working tub again. Unfortunately, it did crack the trap pipe and I had to replace it.

 

[SGKent]

just let it heat evenly - don't throw a torch on it or anything like that. The driveway ice crystals seem like a reasonable idea, combined with heating the room. Have the wetvac ready for a mess if it is already broken and you don't know it. Also know where the water shut off is. The supply lines don't flow till they thaw then whoosh.

 

[Mattlt]

Next issue may be the trap may be frozen also the water feedline may have cracked the copper pipe....You won't know this until it is all thawed.

You may want to make sure you have access to the shutoff valve for the building (and know that it works) prior to trying to thaw any supply pipes. Open downstream faucets while trying to thaw frozen pipes as well.

 

[Cryptic1911]

Go take a mega huge lava **** in it and melt it

 

[57JoeFoMoPar]

Go take a mega huge lava **** in it and melt it

Good advice.

 

[stonewellmark]

Hit up Taco Bell first...