Re: Cold Weather Dilemma

Posted by hj on October 31, 19100 at 00:05:44:
In response to Re: Cold Weather Dilemma
Most heat tapes warn against sealing the tape with insulation to prevent overheating of the tape. Since it is a resistance heating medium it has a limited lifetime and once it is buried 4 feet deep, it is there to stay even after it burns out. There are no inside the pipe heaters and if there were, you could have a short circuit or shock hazard when it went bad. The only good solution is to allow the water to drip somewhere to keep the temperature of the water from dropping into the freeze zone. : Have heard of several methods to heat outside water supply plumbing. With copper pipe in the cold Northeast (up to 30 below zero!) at 3-4 feet deep, will insulation be enough? Have heard of an inside the pipe heated wire. Does that require a 1 1/4 inch line? Can I keep the 1 inch and use a heated wire wrap outside the pipe? Please respond with any information you may have- our lines freeze EVERY winter! Thanks. : Dave

Posted by hj on October 31, 19100 at 00:05:44:

In response to Re: Cold Weather Dilemma

Most heat tapes warn against sealing the tape with insulation to prevent overheating of the tape. Since it is a resistance heating medium it has a limited lifetime and once it is buried 4 feet deep, it is there to stay even after it burns out. There are no inside the pipe heaters and if there were, you could have a short circuit or shock hazard when it went bad. The only good solution is to allow the water to drip somewhere to keep the temperature of the water from dropping into the freeze zone.

: Have heard of several methods to heat outside water supply plumbing. With copper pipe in the cold Northeast (up to 30 below zero!) at 3-4 feet deep, will insulation be enough? Have heard of an inside the pipe heated wire. Does that require a 1 1/4 inch line? Can I keep the 1 inch and use a heated wire wrap outside the pipe? Please respond with any information you may have- our lines freeze EVERY winter! Thanks.

: Dave

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