Thawing water lines with torpedo style heater ok?

plumducky · Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:43 pm

Is it safe to use a kerosene forced air, or propane forced air torpedo/bullet style heater to thaw frozen water lines?

If so, would one as small as 40,000 BTU's (propane forced air) work on a 14 x 70?

Greg · Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:59 pm

It may do the job. Is it safe? If you are right there, and have a fire extinguisher with you than yes it can be safe. DO NOT LEAVE THE HEATER UNATTENDED!!!! Greg

plumducky · Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:06 pm

Thx Greg - what is it exactly that could start a fire with this type of heater?

wes · Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:42 pm

those things aren't meant for confined spaces. they do shoot flames out the business end. no water is a big problem. no home?????

SpongeBob · Sat Jan 05, 2008 8:25 am

Hi Plumducky,

Not good to use that torpedo heater. Refer to the articles section of the FORUM here and read the recommended method of thawing frozen pipes. Hope it helped.

-Bob

Demolition · Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:18 am

Two Specific Dangers Exist
The flame and intense heat in a confined space. If anything is close, the radiant heat could ignite it.

Second: CARBON MONOXIDE - Carbon Monoxide is odorless and colorless. Human Blood Absorbs Carbon Monoxide BETTER than it absorbs Oxygen.
The body gets tired from the lack of oxygen (because there ain't as much in the air) and you quietly go to sleep and never wake up.

If you have these heaters IN or UNDER the house, the Carbon Monoxide will build up very quickly.

Two weeks ago, here in Arkansas, a couple died of Carbon Monoxide poisioning. It was cold and they had a generator running INSIDE the home.

Regards, David Dinwiddie, Volunteer Fireman and Graduate of Georgia Fire Academy 1991.

Greg · Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:49 am

Wes, If you have a heater that is shooting flames out the end of it I would strongly reccomend getting it checked out. The flame should not go beyond burn chamber in the heater.
As with ANY heating device that uses a flame, carbon monoxide is always a factor that must be taken into account. . Greg

plumducky · Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:52 am

Thx Wes, SpongeBob and Demolition for joining in...

If I were to set up the torpedo heater back & away from the opening in the skirting, with round furnace-type ducting (or whatever anyone might recommend, if this would work) to pick up the air from the heater and deliver it to the opening in the skirting, would you consider it safe then? (Ducting of sufficient length to not transmit any flame or extreme heat of the ducting itself, to the opening in the skirting).

If carbon monoxide would still be a problem then, could make sure the house is sufficiently ventilated during the thawing operation. I also have a carbon monoxide detector in the house.

If this is still not a good idea, not trying to convince anyone it is...

Okay, well....I just re-read Demolition's comment about intense radiant heat. Maybe it's still not such a good idea? (unless I could make sure the radiant heat at the delivery end of the duct (delivering the heat) was at/under a specific temperature? Guess that would require knowing the combustion temperatures of the materials under the mobile home? However, I also just read that cobwebs were ignited by a propane torch, by someone attempting to thaw pipes in the underbelly. Who woulda thought...(not me, anyway). So now, I'm looking at researching the combustion temperature of cobwebs, from radiant heat :O Demolition?? :O)

Maybe I'm getting closer to giving up on this idea.

I just keep hoping there's a safe, acceptable methond for using a torpedo heater, cause that's seems to be the most eficient & quickest way - maybe there's isn't. Better safe than sorry, I reckon.