Okay so my fiancé and I moved into the second floor of an apartment building. After moving in we found out we had many busted copper pipes for our water we had to fix, replace, etc. Well after two weeks of only using water a little at a time from filled up gallon jugs, we found out after flushing our toilet and it coming up into our tub, that our sewer line is frozen, solid. We took the vent off that is in the basement which we have no idea why the landlord has one down there...when we took it off, we seen that the whole sewer line is frozen. After a little warm up here in central PA, water started going down but we found out it was spewing out the vent in between the walls in the apartment below which thank god is unoccupied. The main line is still frozen. Question is ***What is the quickest, cheapest and most efficient way to thaw those pipes. We are able to use a shop vac and get the standing water out of the pipes. Will rock salt and boiling water help?? We are a young couple with a baby, in poverty, we are unable to afford a plumber, we need an at home fix solution here. PLEASE HELP.

you used the toilet then you used a shop vac to get the water out of the pipes and you have a baby around ???
get some professional help...

Baby has been with her father since we moved into this place. Needing to get it fixed SO I can have her there. Thank you. Didnt ask for rude comments.



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Also. Didn't know the line was frozen until much later. Weve had the place about 3!weeks now. This issue just came up about 6 days ago. And haven't been using our toliet, we haven't been there all that much. I'm just talking about using the shop vac to get the water from sinks out. I'm young, not retarded. Thanks.

what does young have to do with this??
i understand you are frustrated with your situation but flushing your toilet when the waste water comes up in someone elses apartment IS retarded.
the entire building may need to be sanitized because of what you are doing.
a frozen water pipe under a sink may be able to be thawed by using a hair dryer but a frozen sewer pipe needs a professional with proper equipment.
P/S, i'm not retarded either but i do have the wisdom that many decades of plumbing experience brings.
i repeat, call a professional

sewer lines do NOT FREEZE, unless there is some other MAJOR problem. Heat and hot water are the only things that will thaw the line and both are difficult to get to the entire pipe.

not only that but if the toilet flushes but backs up in the apartment below then some portion of the stack is not frozen. but if the sinks do not drain then they may drain into a seperate stack which is frozen or else they are frozen inside the wall before thay join the toilet stack which is frozen down below but not above.

I am truly sorry for your situation. If you are trying to live in an apartment with faulty, defective and health issues.......YOU SHOULD CONTACT THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING. You can not fix or replace anything when you are renting or leasing. Again, contact the owner or management company to have your apartment fix.


Best Wishes