Dry Ice Can Shut Off Water Pipe For Repairs

If your water piping develops a leak and you don't know where the main shutoff valve is located, or there isn't one, you can just freeze the pipe with dry ice ahead of the leak to stop the flow until repairs can be made.

If the water supply is from a municipal distribution system, there is usually a valve called a curb stop at the entry to the property, or ahead of the water meter. You will only need to freeze a small section of the pipe, just a few inches for the size of pipes in most homes. You will need to rig a sleeve or cuff to hold pieces of dry ice against the pipe long enough to freeze it. You may want to consider freezing the pipe in two places, one on each side of the leak, to prevent backflow from the piping beyond the leak, while you are making repairs.

Professional plumbers may have the special "key" that fits curb stops. They also use professional pipe freezers that cost about $500 and use liquid CO2. The professional pipe freezers have pre-formed cuffs for various sizes of pipes. It will take about a pound of dry ice for each place you want to freeze a typical home-sized water pipe. Dry ice is sold in 10-pound lots. The "freeze" will last for about 20 minutes, which may be long enough to make repairs if you have the tools and pipe fittings ready. Be sure to observe all the dry ice safety precautions.

Call Continental Carbonic toll-free at 800-DRY-ICE2. Visit our News Archive to find out about more ways to use dry ice. Use your ZIP code to find your closest Continental Carbonic location.