I live in a bayfront house in the northeast. It’s build up on pilings and the floor is insulated and covered underneath by wallboard. The spackling has started to come out, so I’m going to have a painter re-spackle and paint the board with a good exterior paint.
But my main question concerns the pipes that run through this space. They are not insulated expect for the bats of insulation and the wallboard. In my 11 years in the house, I’ve learned I must keep the water running when the temperature dips below 20 or so.
I plan to move to the southwest but keep this bayfront house for a summer residence. But I also weill return about once a month during the winter so I want to make sure the house is habitable. So my question is how do I insulate the pipes to be certain that they will not freeze when it gets really cold. About once a winter, we get 0 degree weather so we need some fairly good protection. Do I need to tear out all the wall board to get to the pipes? Do I just wrap the heat tape around the pipe? The heat tape I have has a thermostat on it, which I assume kicks in around freezing.
Is there any other way to insulate pipes that will give me peace of mind while I’m in the warm southwest and watching the weather channel about a cold wave in the northeast?
Replies
Heat tape is an option but there have been rumors of the tape starting fires. Could be a result of inferior tape or mis-installation. We use a lot of it up here in Alaska.
If the interior of the house will remain heated (which I assume) you could put some high R-value material on the cold side of the pipe and reduce or eliminate the insulation on the warm side. That way, the heat from the house will heat the area where the pipes are and the cold will be kept at bay on the other side of the pipes. Several inches of rigid insulation works well in cases like this. You could also have a plumber install a recirculation loop on that pipe which will keep the water flowing without wasting it down the drain...this will also help keep things thawed out.
I would just make sure of this...DRAIN the pipes. Period. Blow out with air to be certain. Install an air chuck fill inlet and appropriate drain gates..
Once the power goes off, heat tape and recirc pumps are useless.
Put RV anti freeze in the crapper, and traps.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
I want to use this house during the winter so blowing out the pipes is not an option. But it sounds like that recirculator might be the way to go. Anyone have any experience with thse things? What should the cost be? It's a small house, about 1200 sq. ft.
I would still install a ball valve where it is easy to get to. There was a tread in the last year about have similar situation where the valve was not easy to get to and they installed an arm and push rod so that they could close it off from the inside. That and shuting off the hot water heater.
Even with all of the protection there are ice storms and the like that will take out heat and then there is just normal failures.
Just shutting off the water won't prefect damage to the pipes from freezing. But it will prevent the secondard damage, with is often much, much worse, from tens of thousands of gal of water flowing in and through the house.
not an option? well it takes 2 minutes and yer done, re fill takes 2 minutes..I know I'd sleep a heck of a lot better, knowing nuthing can freeze up..but it's your call, don't say I didn't warn ya.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
I second the empty pipes idea. It's a sure thing regardless of power failure, extreme temps, rodent damage to heat tape, etc.
Buy a small cheap compressor, install a few quality ball valves to make it easy on yourself, and spend <5 minutes when it's time to leave. I'm sure you will save money in the long run vs. heat tape especially if the heat tape ever fails.
Jon Blakemore