Frozen Dump Valves, Pipes & Possible Tanks... HELP!!!

AngeMahl0703

New Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2025
Messages
2
Location
Virginia Beach VA
It is sad to say that I am not new to RV living - yet have made a massive rookie mistake!!

We are currently "moochdocking" in the backyard of family in Virginia Beach VA. We've been here for roughly two years and typically below freezing nights are followed by sunny days in the high 30s/low 40s so I've never been overly concerned about freezing water. Of course that has all changed with this recent cold front. We've had temperatures in the 20s since Tuesday evening which were accompanied by snow Tuesday night and the temp has not risen above 26 in the last 36 hours.

My biggest immediate concern is frozen Dump Valves & Pipes but my black tank and grey tank are also over half full (No onsite Dumping). I left my black tank valve open when I last dumped into my portable tank and so the water in the pipe is frozen as is the valve. The pipes are connected to a flange with a release valve and that valve is frozen shut along with the water in the valve. We have been running the furnace, so hoping that the water in the tanks is not completely frozen.

I reached out to GD Customer Service and in addition to some YouTube research, the best I've come up with is to add some skirting (yes I know 🤦🏾‍♂️) and run a space heater near the pipes to try and melt the ice. I'm working with a small Honeywell that doesn't quite blow direct heat so it seems counterproductive. I've been hesitant to work with a ceramic heater or anything more intense as I am concerned about damage to the pipes and underbelly, but it feels like a "Lesser of Two Evils" type of situation. I do have access to a diesel heater and a "Mr. Buddy" so I am able to ratchet up the heat if needed.

I'm ready for the scolding for not being better prepared and attentive of the weather. But I desperately need some guidance to get a handle on this situation. Highs are slowly moving above freezing today and tomorrow, but lows will remain in the 20's. GD Customer Service recommended that the best resource in this circumstance would be the GD Community so I'm hoping that you guys have some suggestions that I can put into practice immediately. Let me know - thanks!!
 

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I think your only choice is to block off the area to prevent cold air blowing in, and apply heat. You could use plywood, garbage bags full of leaves or shredded or waded paper, or what ever you can get your hands on. It should not take a huge heater to warm the area if you get it blocked off well enough. Don’t try to force the handles to move, just wait until they free up on their own, and hope nothing cracked.
 
I think your only choice is to block off the area to prevent cold air blowing in, and apply heat. You could use plywood, garbage bags full of leaves or shredded or waded paper, or what ever you can get your hands on. It should not take a huge heater to warm the area if you get it blocked off well enough. Don’t try to force the handles to move, just wait until they free up on their own, and hope nothing cracked.
Thanks - grabbing a blow dryer to help with thawing process!!
 
looks like you have the exterior valve connected on the end ?
If so, Make sure the other valves are closed and apply some heat (blow dryer, heat gun) and then slowly twist that valve off, and remove the ice. Just did this last week here in central NC. You might be able to just remove it with out the heat. Got the big chunk of ice out and was able to drain the tanks.
 
Get foam insulation and create barrier like a skirt around the underside of the trailer, then get a kerosene heater - one of those jet style ones. And run that aimed underneath (but not positioned under) and the pipes will thaw in a matter of hours. Then leave an electric heater under the now insulated underneath for the rest of winter. Should work.
 
I left my black tank valve open when I last dumped into my portable tank and so the water in the pipe is frozen as is the valve.
Ummm .. I don't think that's "water" in there.
I figure you have a 4" diameter poop-sicle. :sick:

But I desperately need some guidance to get a handle on this situation.
Not the cheapest way to go, but if I were you, I'd look up some nearby climate controlled indoor storage facility. Pay them for as short of a time as you can, park in there, and let things thaw out.
 
Today should reach 40 and then 50's until next Friday. What you experienced this past week is very rare. Not likely to happen again this winter, but may still be worth skirting and finding a solution as we do get a cold snap or two each winter, just not usually this cold for this long.
 
I would suggest a heat gun over a hair dryer if you are going to manually cover the area. The problem you will have is the freezing for any pipes going into the underbelly is that the freezing goes up into the underbelly and you won't be able to heat those by hand unless you drop the chloroplast. A couple of times over the years I have put space heaters (with fan) under my unit, blowing on the pipes. I removed the spray foam around the pipes so there was an open space for heat to rise. My last instance was just a few weeks ago traveling back to MN from Texas with a stayover in Kansas. I had water flowing within about an hour. My experience in doing that has always just been for freezing overnight, maybe your case is worse. Also make sure you seal the hole again with more spray foam in the near future.

If it were me, and there was a warm up coming a few days out, I'd plan an unexpected vacation. Go stay in a hotel somewhere and come back when the weather is working in your favor.
 
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You have likely resolved your issue by now but for future reference, get yourself a heat gun that blows a high volume of air (they are usually considered industrial with CFM in the 20-25+ range), they look like a hair dryer and usually have high/low and heat/cold settings. You'd be surprised at how quicky you can get a valve unstuck and water flowing again with one of those. And they come in handy when you need it for other projects. Personally, since you're not far below freezing I wouldn't go through all the effort of heating the entire area. All you are trying to is melt enough to get that interior valve closed again and empty the external part of the pipe. Then make sure you are keeping the valves closed, the furnace running, etc. Good luck!!
 
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Be careful with an industrial heat gun, on high they will melt plastic and start any combustible material on fire if aimed too close to that material. I hope your pipes have thawed, and away we go! Happy Camping!
 
If your running electric heaters inside RV as supplemental heat, your furnace may not be running enough to keep the underbelly warm.
 

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