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Rob0177

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First post here so any help would be appreciated. I just got done plumbing my shower. One of my shower heads is a 8 inch moen rain head and it is coming down straight from the ceiling. My question is, the pipe goes up an interior wall into the attic about 2 inches. It then runs parallel to the bathroom ceiling about 18 inches and then back down about 5 inches where it is connected to the shower head. I would like to know if that 18 inch pipe that is in the attic will freeze or will the water all drip out since it runs parallel to the ceiling when the water is off. What would be the best thing to do. The pipe is in between the drywall and insulation in the attic already. Should I get one of those foam rolls that have a slit in it and put it around the pipe or should I move the pipe back into the actual room and convert it to chrome since it would be visible
 

Rob0177

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Here is a picture to help explain. It goes into the attic about an inch or two then over to the rain head then down 2 inches. Will this pipe in the attic freeze. Thanks Rob
 

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Cass

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I would at very least have the pipe pitched downward toward the shower head and have lots of insulation above it.

Weather it will freeze is like asking if you will win the lottery. Being in the attic it obviously could but weather it will is another question that can only be answered in time based on many to many variables.

The valve piping looks good although I can't see it well.
 

hj

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pipe

As a practical matter, the shower head will probably not allow air to enter the pipe so the water will stay in it, and freeze if it gets cold enough.
 

Redwood

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Rob, Knowing where you are located would help in the guess of freeze or , not but it would still only be a guess... Key West Nah it won't... Minot, North Dakota more than likely!
 

Rob0177

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I am in Nebraska. Would it help to build a wood frame around it, insulate inside the enclosure and then drywall it.

Is there another way to do this or is this the only option.
 

Frenchie

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Wait a minute - everybody read the original post again.

You said the pipe is in between the drywall and the insulation - so it's under the insulation? - on the room side of the insulation?

If so, it's already inside the room, temperature-wise. The fact that it's outboard the drywall doesn't matter, it's where it is in relation to the insulation that matters.
 

Rob0177

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Wait a minute - everybody read the original post again.

You said the pipe is in between the drywall and the insulation - so it's under the insulation? - on the room side of the insulation?

If so, it's already inside the room, temperature-wise. The fact that it's outboard the drywall doesn't matter, it's where it is in relation to the insulation that matters.

It is under the insulation. The Drywall is on the cieling, then the pipe, then insulation, then lots of cold air.

This is what I thought but then I read or somebody told me that it would freeze.
 

Rob0177

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Wouldn't the water run out of the pipe going to the attic and come out the lowest faucet when I turn it off. I think that I might insulate the pipe with foam then the attic insulation then frame in the piping in, drywall it then through more insulation over it. That is about as much as I think I can do with out moving it back into the actual shower.

Sorry I am so paranoid but when we moved into or house a few years ago we had a pipe break (not)our fault) but it flooded the entire house so it worries me
 

Gary Swart

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You are paranoid, but that OK. Your pipe won't freeze because heat from the house will penetrate the ceiling drywall and with insulation on top of the pipe, there will be enough heat to prevent freezing. I would not put foam insulation around the pipe itself, that would block the heat from reaching the pipe. Remember, insulation does not heat anything. It only slows heat transfer and you don't want to slow the rising heat from reaching the pipe.
 

Jadnashua

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The horizontal portion of that pipe in the attic would be best if it had some slope to it to allow some water to drain out the head, but like a soda straw with your thumb over the end, may not drain. In a tub with a divertor spout, it opens both ends, so it drains. When you have a valved divertor, one end stays sealed. You might get some water out after you've turned off the water by playing with the divertor so it is partially opened (some don't work that way, they turn off one port completely before it opens the next) and allowed the rain head to drain through one of the body sprays.
 

Frenchie

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Disregard what Denny said (no offense, Denny) - like Gary said, wrapping the pipe in insulation would be counter-productive.

If you're really paranoid, add regular insulation on top of the existing insulation in the attic.

But it should be fine. Thermally speaking, the pipe is already inside the bathroom.
 

SRdenny

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Actually, best case scenario is the way he's running it, sandwished between the ceiling drywall and the attic insulation. I didn't read his whole post.
 
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