I am looking for a good solution to keep my pipes from freezing in the winter in an unconditioned crawlspace. More than just letting the faucets drip looking for maybe something to wrap on the pipes that heats them. The run of the plumbing is around forty feet before it comes back into conditioned space. This has been a change this summer. I relocated the bathroom to the other side of the house and it use to only be about 5 feet in unconditioned space and with the old faucets in the old bathroom I could drip them on the 2 or 3 night that it got really cold. The rest of the year we used the water enough that it wouldn’t freeze. I am worried now with the length of the run and with the faucets that we have doesn’t allow us to drip the faucets evenly. If anybody has a good solution for me I am all ears (eyes).
Mobile homes in Edmonton (-25 F outside design temperature)
A cat or rabbit chewed the wrap around foam, there is heat tape wrapped around the water line, then it is covered with some kind of insulation, foam is best unless you got critters, they don’t like to chew on fiberglass. These water lines were hanging below the mobile homes, about 18" off the ground, at least 20 feet long, and they don’t freeze.
I’ve had the same experience as Erik here in northern MI. If you choose the fiberglass wrap, no not squeeze it flat/tight when you apply it. Leave a little air in it so it can do its insulation job. And, when you attach the heat tape, don’t overlap it, as it may melt into itself…at least that is what I’ve seen years ago. Maybe they make the heat tape better now and you can overlap it. When in doubt, read the instructions…
Since most pipes are of the conductive type, the heat tape is run on the underside of the pipe and taped on with electrical tape.
Further wrapped with pipe insulation or equal.
I was told that heat tape should not be used on plastic water lines, does anyone have any stories to tell on this. I found some heat tape on a remodel job and I used it to wrap PVC plumbing in the crawlspace of my rental. I have no instructions on the heat tape it was already used. I have not plugged it in yet until I find more facts about my situation.
sorry for jumping in on your post Taylor, I seen a heat tape conversation so I asked my question. I typed before I thought about it being your post. again sorry
There are many types of heat tape/wrap and some of it is made for use on plastic. I think that insulating it would be important. Here is one link: http://www.deanbennett.com/frostex-heat-tape.htm
