Kitchen water frozen.. bathroom not frozen

[tmaxx00]

I have a 2017 Bighorn 3160EL. We got to -8F last night in Indiana. I am not skirted since we are pulling out and heading South next week.. I have a small heater running on low heat in the furnace area where the water lines are located. Kept furnace at 65F and it kicked on throughout the night. This morning, my bathroom water works fine but my kitchen sink water isn't turning on. I am guessing that the bathroom water lines are fine since the bathroom is directly above the furnace. The kitchen is further back in the rv so thinking the water lines were not getting enough heat. I left open the cabinet doors.
Any suggestions how to keep the kitchen sink water lines properly heated?
Also, any suggestions how to thaw the kitchen sink water lines now that they appear frozen?
Final question, are the kitchen water lines exposed to furnace heat?
Thanks.

 

[cookie]

If you have low point drains, that could be the problem area.
A hair dryer or heat lamp in the area might help.

Peace
Dave

 

[tmaxx00]

If you have low point drains, that could be the problem area.
A hair dryer or heat lamp in the area might help.

Peace
Dave

I'm not sure how a drain could impact water into the kitchen faucet. Please explain.
Also, it seems the kitchen water lines aren't accessible as they pass under the floor. Is that correct?

 

[david-steph2018]

Low point drains extend out the bottom of the RV. If these freeze, it could block water flow to the rest of the rig. We froze up in November 2019 in Chatanooga, Tn... After I thawed the low point drains and insulation around the lines/drain's valves, we have not had any issues since.
The way the low point freezing affects the water to the kitchen is the low point drain lines are after the bathroom. The freeze goes up into the water lines blocking the water flow to the kitchen.
I would check your low point drains, if frozen, thaw very gently using a hair dryer, wrap in insulation and if possible, stuff up into the underbelly.
If you can't stuff these up into the underbelly to keep from freezing, add several layers of insulation around the low point drain valves.
I added, gray pipe insulation, a good layer of pink fiberglass insulation, then another layer of gray pipe insulation around all of low point drains. Looks funny stuck down under the rig but have not frozen since.

 

[travelin2]

I'm not sure how a drain could impact water into the kitchen faucet. Please explain.
Also, it seems the kitchen water lines aren't accessible as they pass under the floor. Is that correct?

Frozen water wicks from exposed low point drains up into the adjacent plumbing. Unlikely that you have low point drains on your model

You are correct that the kitchen water lines run under the floor away from where you likely have your small heater. To get heat in there under the floor run the furnace and hope that the open ended heat run supplies adequate heat to thaw. Another possible solution is use a hair dryer or heat gun, something with a fan, to direct heat along the pipes under the floor from basement area

 

[tmaxx00]

Low point drains extend out the bottom of the RV. If these freeze, it could block water flow to the rest of the rig. We froze up in November 2019 in Chatanooga, Tn... After I thawed the low point drains and insulation around the lines/drain's valves, we have not had any issues since.
The way the low point freezing affects the water to the kitchen is the low point drain lines are after the bathroom. The freeze goes up into the water lines blocking the water flow to the kitchen.
I would check your low point drains, if frozen, thaw very gently using a hair dryer, wrap in insulation and if possible, stuff up into the underbelly.
If you can't stuff these up into the underbelly to keep from freezing, add several layers of insulation around the low point drain valves.
I added, gray pipe insulation, a good layer of pink fiberglass insulation, then another layer of gray pipe insulation around all of low point drains. Looks funny stuck down under the rig but have not frozen since.

Thanks fir the explanation. Can you suggest how to check the low point drain? Just open it and see if water flows? If water doesn't flow then it's frozen? I am running off of city water connection.

 

[travelin2]

Thanks fir the explanation. Can you suggest how to check the low point drain? Just open it and see if water flows? If water doesn't flow then it's frozen? I am running off of city water connection.

The only low point drain on your rig is for the fresh water tank which is located behind the axles
If you’re using city water this does not affect your frozen kitchen water lines.
Your only solution is to direct heat under the floor toward those lines
When I had a reason to drop the coroplast covering I took the opportunity to wrap all visible water lines with foam insulation to guard against freezing.
We are in sub freezing temperatures ourselves right now although far from single digits. All systems operational here

 

[tmaxx00]

The only low point drain on your rig is for the fresh water tank which is located behind the axles
If you’re using city water this does not affect your frozen kitchen water lines.
Your only solution is to direct heat under the floor toward those lines
When I had a reason to drop the coroplast covering I took the opportunity to wrap all visible water lines with foam insulation to guard against freezing.
We are in sub freezing temperatures ourselves right now although far from single digits. All systems operational here

Thank you. Makes sense. We are new to winter in an rv so you feedback is very helpful. Sounds like I need to open up the bottom (in warmer weather) and wrap the kitchen pipes in insulation. In the meantime, I will run the furnace but I doubt water lines will unfreeze until I get to warmer climate.

 

[travelin2]

Thank you. Makes sense. We are new to winter in an rv so you feedback is very helpful. Sounds like I need to open up the bottom (in warmer weather) and wrap the kitchen pipes in insulation. In the meantime, I will run the furnace but I doubt water lines will unfreeze until I get to warmer climate.

If you have a hair dryer, from under the sink, direct the heat down into the belly through the scution . See photo…
If you’re comfortable doing so, remove the cabinet floor. It’s only 1/8” luan sheeting held in place by a few small wire staples. That will expose more of an opening and plumbing.

 

[sengli]

The water runs are basically in the belly, only covered by the coroplast. With these current below zero temps (-8 ambient) and 50mph winds there is no way they wont freeze. I also live in the ft wayne area, and its way too cold to think the lines wont freeze. Heartland fivers havent had low point drains for years. Till you leave you should use compressed air to blow out you lines.

 

[RoadJunkie]

I know it's a bit late, but for low temperatures as extreme as you are seeing, I would think the preparation would be to winterize the trailer and use bottled water for your needs until temperatures increase. Gray and black water tanks are a whole different set of problems if you don't have tank heaters.