I have an old house. My main bathroom tub faucet, 1st floor and above crawl space (which gets chilly but not freezing), seems to drip during very cold temps (below say 35F). It is really bizarre. It will only do that if I use the faucet during those cold snaps. I have experimented. Also, it does not drip in warm weather/summer.
I have not needed to turn any water off in the house or crawl space as it seems fairly well insulated from freezing. No evidence of frozen pipes being a issue in this nearly 100 year old house.
So, bathroom tub faucet. In cold temps, it won't drip. Until I use it. Then it starts dripping and won't stop dripping until 2 events: A warm spell and I use the faucet again.
Example:
1. Very cold temps alone will not cause it to drip. It's not until I use it during cold temps that it will start dripping.
So it requires cold temps + use to start dripping. The only cure for the dripping seems to be warm temps + use.
2. The reverse is true. If it starts dripping (after I use it in cold temps), it will not stop dripping even in warm temps, until I again use it. That course of action (warm temps + use) will stop the dripping.
It's really puzzling. I'm struggling to understand why using it in cold weather would start the drip, and then the only cure is warm weather plus using it. If not cost prohibitive I'd like to fix it.
Any plumbers here or experienced folks having a similar issue? And is there an easy fix?
(Note also, when it drips it's about 5 gallons per day. I don't lose any of that water, I put a bucket under the faucet and use that water to flush and fill my toilet tank so as to not waste water. It's conservation, but it's a hassle.)
I have not needed to turn any water off in the house or crawl space as it seems fairly well insulated from freezing. No evidence of frozen pipes being a issue in this nearly 100 year old house.
So, bathroom tub faucet. In cold temps, it won't drip. Until I use it. Then it starts dripping and won't stop dripping until 2 events: A warm spell and I use the faucet again.
Example:
1. Very cold temps alone will not cause it to drip. It's not until I use it during cold temps that it will start dripping.
So it requires cold temps + use to start dripping. The only cure for the dripping seems to be warm temps + use.
2. The reverse is true. If it starts dripping (after I use it in cold temps), it will not stop dripping even in warm temps, until I again use it. That course of action (warm temps + use) will stop the dripping.
It's really puzzling. I'm struggling to understand why using it in cold weather would start the drip, and then the only cure is warm weather plus using it. If not cost prohibitive I'd like to fix it.
Any plumbers here or experienced folks having a similar issue? And is there an easy fix?
(Note also, when it drips it's about 5 gallons per day. I don't lose any of that water, I put a bucket under the faucet and use that water to flush and fill my toilet tank so as to not waste water. It's conservation, but it's a hassle.)