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west illini

Posted 1/14/2024 20:41 (#10574564)
Subject: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

What are some ways to keep water hydrants from freezing. Iowa hydrants , 3 and4' bury. The head freezes if it gets under 5-10 deg. After I get through winter I dig them up to see if there was enough pea gravel to let them drain good, just in case they aren't

DFK

Posted 1/14/2024 20:45 (#10574576 - in reply to #10574564)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

Illinois

Blow air back down head to open drain hole
The ground isn't even frozen yet

Cooperator

Posted 1/15/2024 10:22 (#10575320 - in reply to #10574576)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

Central Alberta

We go 10 feet deep around here. The hydrant freezes if you use it lots, cause the ice builds up inside the pipe. Just give it a kiss with a propane torch now and then, and it will drain out the bottom like it's supposed to.

Ironbender

Posted 1/14/2024 20:48 (#10574585 - in reply to #10574564)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

northwest Iowa

They won’t freeze if they drain and don’t leak. You can screw the top off and replace the plunger without digging. I just did one this fall that was freezing last winter and it’s working fine today at -15. Phil

farmer82

Posted 1/14/2024 21:19 (#10574632 - in reply to #10574585)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

S.E. Iowa

I was driving from another place home on the tractor one day after the county dug out the ditch. I saw something that caught my eye. For some reason, I stopped and picked it up. It was a water hydrant. I took it home, tore it apart, and cleaned it up. It had some green on the head. I called the company, and he said it was one of their first ones built, 1930's! They still make the kits for them, and they are the same as today's kits, but they have a longer stem. I have it rebuilt to put back in. The plug body was pristine, which leads me to believe it was new when it fell out of the truck or horse drawn wagon.
As others said blow it out with air. I'd do it quickly after shutting it off to wash out the weep hole. Maybe if possible tie another hydrant to it with a hose.

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Ironbender

Posted 1/14/2024 21:39 (#10574656 - in reply to #10574632)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

northwest Iowa

I have a couple that dad put in sometime in the mid forties. They still work just fine. If the plug leaks just a little the cold goes down the pipe and freezes it shut. A new plug every thirty years makes them just like new.

Shimmy1

Posted 1/14/2024 20:56 (#10574598 - in reply to #10574564)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

Central ND

Swap them out for Merrill AnyFlow.

Donald

Posted 1/14/2024 21:04 (#10574606 - in reply to #10574598)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

west central Ohio

What does the Mueller curbstops cost ?

Shimmy1

Posted 1/14/2024 22:02 (#10574691 - in reply to #10574606)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

Central ND

Expensive. Close to $200.

Kooiker

Posted 1/14/2024 23:38 (#10574758 - in reply to #10574598)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

Shimmy1 - 1/14/2024 20:56 Swap them out for Merrill AnyFlow.

+1

And I prefer to have only have hydrants in a pit. Actually, I don't like having any water line fittings or hose clamps buried underground unless it is completely unavoidable.

PeteMN

Posted 1/14/2024 20:56 (#10574599 - in reply to #10574564)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

E.Central MN

I put a heat tape inside an 8" foam insulation tube on one hydrant and had cornstalk bales around it last year, but it would still freeze until my brother wrapped an old winter jacket around the head and put a rubber pail over it.

paul the original

Posted 1/14/2024 21:07 (#10574612 - in reply to #10574564)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

southern MN

I have one I placed just in the shade of my machine shed. The ground and the pipe get a little colder there, it it more likely to cause an issue in super long cold.

Wife likes to water the cats from it - good on her - but in this super cold weather only pulling a gallon of water the inside of the pipe coats up with ice, and it stops working in a couple days. Need to actually use them and get some gallons through them to warm up the exposed pipe.

Paul

Nathan (SD)

Posted 1/15/2024 10:45 (#10575361 - in reply to #10574612)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

Day Co. SD

paul the original - 1/14/2024 21:07

- but in this super cold weather only pulling a gallon of water the inside of the pipe coats up with ice, and it stops working in a couple days. Need to actually use them and get some gallons through them to warm up the exposed pipe.

This. I run them 1/4 flow filling buckets and such. If I need less than 20 gallons I carry buckets across the yard from the heated building.

Steiger Man

Posted 1/14/2024 21:50 (#10574674 - in reply to #10574564)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

Sunburst Montana

west illini - 1/14/2024 20:41 What are some ways to keep water hydrants from freezing. Iowa hydrants , 3 and4' bury. The head freezes if it gets under 5-10 deg. After I get through winter I dig them up to see if there was enough pea gravel to let them drain good, just in case they aren't

We bury ours 6ft deep to start with and plenty of pea gravel.

Edited by Steiger Man 1/14/2024 21:51

collegeboy

Posted 1/14/2024 22:02 (#10574690 - in reply to #10574564)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

Slicker than a Yes album.

Last one I helped with we put pea gravel on the bottom and then a layer of larger rock above that, to ensure that things drain. And make sure they are plenty deep.

play in the dirt

Posted 1/14/2024 22:16 (#10574706 - in reply to #10574564)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

south central IOWA

I like putting a piece of perforated tile for it to drain into and then rock.

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GregWCIL

Posted 1/15/2024 07:13 (#10574928 - in reply to #10574706)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

West Central Illinois

Did you really place that hydrant in the doorway?

play in the dirt

Posted 1/15/2024 07:47 (#10574985 - in reply to #10574928)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

south central IOWA

GregWCIL - 1/15/2024 07:13

Did you really place that hydrant in the doorway?

Not in the doorway. Next to the pad in front of the building.

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thekcirp

Posted 1/15/2024 08:27 (#10575073 - in reply to #10574928)
Subject: Looks like, over next to the building,,,,,,,,,,,,

NEMO

would have been a better option. Someday down the road it will be in the way of something.

play in the dirt

Posted 1/15/2024 10:58 (#10575393 - in reply to #10575073)
Subject: RE: Looks like, over next to the building,,,,,,,,,,,,

south central IOWA

thekcirp - 1/15/2024 08:27

would have been a better option. Someday down the road it will be in the way of something.

Customer is always right, aren't they?

In this guy's application, I doubt it's ever in the way. In the next guys application, I doubt it's ever in the way.

thekcirp

Posted 1/15/2024 14:53 (#10575868 - in reply to #10575393)
Subject: Yes they are always right!!!!!!!!!

NEMO

Thought that was odd you'd put it there.

farmboy99

Posted 1/15/2024 07:52 (#10574996 - in reply to #10574706)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

SE South Dakota

How deep do you bury your water lines? I'm a bit north of you and I think code for water line burial is 6' here. I've been told North Dakota is 7.5'.

As shallow as that looks even as far south from here as you are, freezing of that hydrant looks possible.

JAnderson

Posted 1/15/2024 08:48 (#10575117 - in reply to #10574996)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

McCanna, ND

I would be surprised if it’s 7 1/2’. I would have gladly paid a lot more to find a 7-8’ bury depth hydrant in stock anywhere in a 50k population town when installed a few hydrants last year. They stocked mainly 3’ bury depth and a few 6’ bury depth. My water line for the most part is close to 7’ though. I know some people that go to 8-9’ but they are just running water line to waterers

play in the dirt

Posted 1/15/2024 11:00 (#10575396 - in reply to #10574996)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

south central IOWA

farmboy99 - 1/15/2024 07:52

How deep do you bury your water lines? I'm a bit north of you and I think code for water line burial is 6' here. I've been told North Dakota is 7.5'.

As shallow as that looks even as far south from here as you are, freezing of that hydrant looks possible.

4ft. Doesn't seem to be a problem around here.

feelnrite

Posted 1/15/2024 19:25 (#10576374 - in reply to #10574564)
Subject: RE: Preventing water hydrants from freezing

northwest tennessee

Mine will freeze at the top where the plunger goes down in the head. If they leak the least bit there and it gets cold like now they freeze. I little hot water and they are good to go.

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