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Copper is Susceptible to Freezing & That Includes Your Tankless Water Heater

Duncan Plumbing Races to Get Record Number of Texas Homeowners Water Again

  Last week Waxahachie braced for a week long winter storm that had not been seen in generations. The entire state of Texas witnessed unpresented weather not seen on record since the late 1800's. A week of sub-freezing temperatures and snow wreaked havoc on Texas highways, homes and the power grid. Since the storm subsided, a new storm of plumbing problems has over taken the state.
Now that everything is thawing, copper pipes are springing leaks. The range of leaks can be a simple drip to an all-out flood. " Copper does not hold up to freezing weather like PEX" , says Duncan Plumbing. Copper pipes aren't just in the walls and under the home. Many tankless water heaters have a heat exchanger comprised of copper or similar alloy metal that is susceptible to freezing.
Copper tends to bust when it freezes because the water expands and tears through the side of the pipe. The image above is a classic example of a freeze break, with its classic vertical tear. Most freeze breaks aren't revealed until everything thaws. Ice puts pressure which causes the tale-tell tearing of the pipe also known as a burst pipe. We saw a record number of calls coming in from busted water lines to freezing hose bibbs to busted faucets and an exhorbitant number of calls for tankless water heaters.
 Emergency plumbing calls are through the roof for things like leaking hose bibbs and busted tankless water heaters. Almost every home has fallen victim to the storm’s wrath in one way or another.
  Texas homes were not built to withstand a frozen climate for long periods of time. Tankless water heaters up north have a solenoid valve that will eject water when temperatures fall below a certain temperature. Solenoid valves are control units which, when electrically energized or de-energized, either shut off or allow fluid flow. The actuator takes the form of an electromagnet. When energized, a magnetic field builds up which pulls a plunger or pivoted armature against the action of a spring. Ejecting water from the unit protects the tankless' heat exchanger.
The heat exchanger is what allows you to have a hot shower anytime while running the dishwasher & washing clothes. The heat exchanger is what makes your tankless water heater awesome.  A heat exchanger transfers heat from one source to another. They are typically made of copper or other alloy metals and act just like copper when frozen. When the coils inside your tankless water heater freeze and break much like the copper pipes, the unit is pretty much shot.  Replacinng a busted heat exchanger isn't as simple or affordable as it sounds. For example, replacing a furnace heat exchanger can take up to 8 hours and can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $3,500. You'd do well to have a brand new tankless water heater at that.
Duncan Plumbing is your expert plumbing team when it comes to busted pipes, including a busted tankless water heater. We are working hard to tackle all the leaks around Waxahachie, Red Oak and Midlothian to get your home up and running again.

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