Replies

1. 
   Spinner | Jul 14, 2000 12:05am | #1

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   For a new house in the North East I'm planning on only insulating cold water lines inside walls to prevent drips, and hotwater in the basement.

   What do others do?

2. 
   Guest_ | Jul 14, 2000 12:05am | #2

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   Since you're in the NE, I assume you have moderately cold winters (occassionally 0F, but never -40F) and warm, very humid summers. I didn't insulate my cold lines because, even though incoming water is 40F, the house air is always pretty dry. But for your summers, insulation makes sense. Also check the archives for previous postings about sweating toilets. That will be a little worse with insulated cold lines - colder water will reach the toilets. There are styrofoam inserts to insulate the water from the tank. Or you can fill with hot water or 50/50 through a mixing valve built for hat purpose (about $15).

   I'd insulate your hot lines as well. Not that they will release a lot of BTU's to the house in the summer, but as a user convienence. Intermittent uses like dish washing and the second person to take a shower would benifit from not having to purge a gallon of luke-warm water from the uninsulated lines. But then, I'm enough of a fiend about this that I plumbed a thermoshiponing loop in my house for virtually instanteous hot water at all fixtures. -David