# Dripping Fauset and Freezing Pipes

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dripping-fauset-and-freezing-pipes/134725>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [October 31, 2002, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dripping-fauset-and-freezing-pipes/134725 "2002-10-31T17:41:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Heat\_Transfer\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Heat\_Transfer\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heat_Transfer_Guy)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dripping-fauset-and-freezing-pipes/134725/1 "2002-10-31T17:41:25Z")

</div>

This is in reference to the question of why a slightly dripping tap will keep a pipe from freezing.

Staffer Ken fails to mention the important issue of latent heat. Simply cooling water to 32 F (0 C) will not make it freeze. You have to remove an large amount of extra heat in order to get the phase transformation from liquid to solid – and water has a substantial “latent heat of freezing”.

So, even a slightly dripping introduces a lot of “hidden” heat energy into the pipe, which prevents freezing.

I’m a big fan of SD, usually it’s right on track – but this one missed the main issue, I think.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dripping-fauset-and-freezing-pipes/134725/2 "2002-10-31T20:25:55Z")

</div>

It’s customary to give a link to the article: [Does a dripping faucet keep the pipes from freezing?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mpipefreeze.html)  
And welcome to the board!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dripping-fauset-and-freezing-pipes/134725/3 "2002-11-01T02:00:57Z")

</div>

Welcome to the Stragith Dope Message Board, Heat Transfer Guy, and thanks for the comments.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cdhostage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@cdhostage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdhostage)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dripping-fauset-and-freezing-pipes/134725/4 "2002-11-07T22:16:09Z")

</div>

I imagine that it helps that a very slight amount of movement is happening as well - I mean, 1 drip every 5 seconds and… I’m not doing the math.

Point is, that water will leave the relative safety of the deep underground main and go through your pipes in a relatively short amount of time - before it freezes.