Using water bottles to prevent pipes from freezing

[waldoputty]

i have an empty house in a location that freezes up.
i am going to buy a couple thermostats for heaters to keep the pipes from freezing.
to reduce the amount of heating needed, i am going to put around 100 gallons of water in water bottles to keep warmth from the daytime sun.

has anyone done this for their greenhouse?
based on looking up some tables, the heat capacity of water is about 1000 times that of air (by volume) at an altitude of 5000 ft.
the house is about 26,000 cubic feet of air space.
so 26 galloons to hold equate the heat capacities.
100 galloons would be 4X higher.

i am going to use black plastic under the water bottles to absorb solar heat...
also aluminum foil under the water bottles to help thermal flow between the water inside the bottles and the room air...

 

[jsb357]

get a plumber to install a lowest level drain
and shut the water off at the meter.

 

[Chrispierce]

Yeah,that would work. But you’re going to run the heater in an empty house? Why not just insulate your pipes and shut the water off? It’s really not that expensive for pipe insultation. Keep the interior doors open too,and any cabinet or closet doors where pipes are located.

 

[Runwildboys]

Is that cheaper than heat tape?

 

[waldoputty]

Is that cheaper than heat tape?

what the heck is heat tape?

 

[waldoputty]

get a plumber to install a lowest level drain
and shut the water off at the meter.

not easy to do where it is

 

[waldoputty]

Yeah,that would work. But you’re going to run the heater in an empty house? Why not just insulate your pipes and shut the water off? It’s really not that expensive for pipe insultation. Keep the interior doors open too,and any cabinet or closet doors where pipes are located.

that is going to be a big deal to do in the walls and under the house
shutting the water off is actually not easy in this house.

do u have any experience with the water trick?

 

[Runwildboys]

what the heck is heat tape?

I assume they still make it. When I was a kid we used to put it on our pipes in the garage. Just wrap it around the pipes and plug it in.

 

[waldoputty]

I assume they still make it. When I was a kid we used to put it on our pipes in the garage. Just wrap it around the pipes and plug it in.

most of the pipes r not accessible.
how dose heat tape work?

 

[YosemiteSam]

Just get one of these that is big enough to cover the entire house...

 

[Melonfeud]

And that heat absorption ratio to water from air ? Is reverse in its cold absorption ratio as well?

You should probably use seawater to fill those bottles,,, they got it at LOWES at half price off Halloween days sales special,,I saw their news flyer just the other day,,,good luck Buddy!

 

[YosemiteSam]

most of the pipes r not accessible.
how dose heat tape work?

It's like an electric blanket for pipes of sort. (there is also heat cord, and heat cable, they are all similar)

 

[YosemiteSam]

btw, I'm not sure your idea will fly if I understand what you're wanting to do. While water can hold heat a lot longer than air, the reverse is true too. It takes a lot more heat to warm water than it does air.

Not to mention, once the heat gets dissipated from the water, the cold water will hold the chill in the house even if you turn on the heat! You would have to get those bottles out of the house!

Those gallon bottles will chill in a period of probably 1-3 hours, so they likely wouldn't last all night. (if you're using gallon milk jugs or something)

 

[waldoputty]

And that heat absorption ratio to water from air ? Is reverse in its cold absorption ratio as well?

You should probably use seawater to fill those bottles,,, they got it at LOWES at half price off Halloween days sales special,,I saw their news flyer just the other day,,,good luck Buddy!

if u r talking using salt to depress freezing point, it works.
the heat of melting would be huge obstacle anyways so that works in my favor.
i dont want the pipes to freeze before my water in water bottle freezes.

there are certain special salts that can be used that melts at a higher temperature.
however that is high tech for green energy stuff, and harder to get than bottles of water...

 

[waldoputty]

It's like an electric blanket for pipes of sort. (there is also heat cord, and heat cable, they are all similar)

oh, thanks.
no access so does not quite work

 

[Runwildboys]

most of the pipes r not accessible.
how dose heat tape work?

It's like gutter warmers. It's not technically "tape" per se. It's jacketed wire that stays warm when plugged in.

 

[waldoputty]

btw, I'm not sure your idea will fly if I understand what you're wanting to do. While water can hold heat a lot longer than air, the reverse is true too. It takes a lot more heat to warm water than it does air.

Not to mention, once the heat gets dissipated from the water, the cold water will hold the chill in the house even if you turn on the heat! You would have to get those bottles out of the house!

Those gallon bottles will chill in a period of probably 1-3 hours, so they likely wouldn't last all night. (if you're using gallon milk jugs or something)

i am adding black plastic inside the house to absorb warmth for the water.

 

[jrumann59]

set the thermostat at the lowest setting possible and call it a day unless it has some really inefficient heating system like steam or base boards.

 

[Melonfeud]

most of the pipes r not accessible.
how dose heat tape work?

,,,I think you'd be miles ahead of the game if you'd go that seawater route, Bro



* it's to expensive for you ,but you've got to stretch it out to activate it's and it maintains an average temperature of around 70° for up to 18 hours,,,and you just have to wrap it around neck of the kitchen sink as the heat transfer back travels to the coldest area of the pressurized water delivery system

 

[waldoputty]

,,,I think you'd be miles ahead of the game if you'd go that seawater route, Bro



* it's to expensive for you ,but you've got to stretch it out to activate it's and it maintains an average temperature of around 70° for up to 18 hours,,,and you just have to wrap it around neck of the kitchen sink as the heat transfer back travels to the coldest area of the pressurized water delivery system

the seawater is less effective because the pipes will freeze before the seawater.

so the heat tape is only good for 18 hours?