Using water bottles to prevent pipes from freezing

[waldoputty]

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.

unfortunately, it has a hot stove, and electric heaters with no real thermostat.
i was going to put some temperature controlled outlets to plug in electric heaters.

 

[Melonfeud]

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

so the heat tape is only good for 18 hours?

I'm pulling yer' leg bro, if it's such that great of concern, ask yourself how often have you experienced freeze damage at that location? The easiest solution to the problem your concerned about would be to allow a small trickling stream of water from the faucet furthest away from the structures inlet feed,,,just eat the water bill,,,it doesn't need to be a big flow stream just enough to keep a slight pressure drop in the piping & keeping the water moving.

 

[Melonfeud]

It'll be a whole lot cheaper than running electric heaters.

 

[waldoputty]

I'm pulling yer' leg bro, if it's such that great of concern, ask yourself how often have you experienced freeze damage at that location? The easiest solution to the problem your concerned about would be to allow a small trickling stream of water from the faucet furthest away from the structures inlet feed,,,just eat the water bill,,,it doesn't need to be a big flow stream just enough to keep a slight pressure drop in the piping & keeping the water moving.

i am doing the water drip thing.
not sure it is adequate.
do u have experience in this?

 

[waldoputty]

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

how much juice dos it take?

 

[Runwildboys]

how much juice dos it take?

Don't know. You'd have to look into that. They don't need to get hot, just warmer than 32 degrees, so they might be reasonably efficient.

 

[Runwildboys]

how much juice dos it take?

Google "Heat tape for plumbing".

 

[Melonfeud]

i am doing the water drip thing.
not sure it is adequate.
do u have experience in this?

Some ,yes!,,,& I don't believe the 'drip' cuts it as that usually tends to shut itself down to non drip status sometime during the night,,, but having black plastic & 100 bottles of water pilied up around the water pipes is gonna definitely make that Russian spy agency upgrade yer' dossier,,

 

[Chrispierce]

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?

No,the thermostat at room temperature. Loool. But I don’t understand why it’s so hard to turn the water off? Is this one of those “house in the mountains” or something type of deal? If you can get under that house and do those at least (as that’s the coldest place being heat rises) it would greatly help your situation. But if your water bottle theory proves correct? I say DOUBLE the amount,and show Mr.Freeze who’s gonna be doing what to your pipes when he thinks no one is looking.

 

[Chrispierce]

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

Yeah very common...like $36 and up online I see.

 

[waldoputty]

Some ,yes!,,,& I don't believe the 'drip' cuts it as that usually tends to shut itself down to non drip status sometime during the night,,, but having black plastic & 100 bottles of water pilied up around the water pipes is gonna definitely make that Russian spy agency upgrade yer' dossier,,

actually the 100 bottles and black plastic would be spread around the house from windows that see a lot of sun during the day.
thanks for sharing ur expertise regarding the russian spy agency.

 

[waldoputty]

No,the thermostat at room temperature. Loool. But I don’t understand why it’s so hard to turn the water off? Is this one of those “house in the mountains” or something type of deal? If you can get under that house and do those at least (as that’s the coldest place being heat rises) it would greatly help your situation. But if your water bottle theory proves correct? I say DOUBLE the amount,and show Mr.Freeze who’s gonna be doing what to your pipes when he thinks no one is looking.

it is a house in a rural area - town of 100 houses.
not easy to get under the house.
1st thing i am going to do is to look into the heat tape.
i dont know how many i will need though as there are 2 baths, a laundry, hot water heater and kitchen.
unfortunately not all pipes r metal...

 

[waldoputty]

Yeah very common...like $36 and up online I see.

i see it too, will need to read carefully

 

[Melonfeud]

I used to have to be in charge of the under the house duties as a kid back in the Midwest and would wrap that 1/2 galvanized pipes with heat tape & overwrap with insulation,,, believe it or not some times that piping would still freeze up,,,then I'd have to lug that heavy diesel fired 'salamander' horizontal jet blast heater under there and position it to where it wouldn't burn the house down,,, man, I'd cringe when one of those heat tape lights wouldn't light up when I'd plug them in around dark.

 

[Melonfeud]

actually the 100 bottles and black plastic would be spread around the house from windows that see a lot of sun during the day.
thanks for sharing ur expertise regarding the russian spy agency.

Well, you know yer' uncle Melon is always here for you bro!,,,I'm pulling for you Buddy

 

[waldoputty]

I used to have to be in charge of the under the house duties as a kid back in the Midwest and would wrap that 1/2 galvanized pipes with heat tape & overwrap with insulation,,, believe it or not some times that piping would still freeze up,,,then I'd have to lug that heavy diesel fired 'salamander' horizontal jet blast heater under there and position it to where it wouldn't burn the house down,,, man, I'd cringe when one of those heat tape lights wouldn't light up when I'd plug them in around dark.

wow...
how often does heat tape fail?
is it one per house or one per branch of pipe

 

[waldoputty]

Well, you know yer' uncle Melon is always here for you bro!,,,I'm pulling for you Buddy

uncle melon
i am not sure u r older than putty

 

[Chrispierce]

it is a house in a rural area - town of 100 houses.
not easy to get under the house.
1st thing i am going to do is to look into the heat tape.
i dont know how many i will need though as there are 2 baths, a laundry, hot water heater and kitchen.
unfortunately not all pipes r metal...

Well at least do under all your sinks with insulation. It’s not expensive,and easy to do.It really is the preferred and standard method. You don’t want to be running a electricity bill non stop for a place you’re not in much.

 

[Runwildboys]

uncle melon
i am not sure u r older than putty

Uncles can be younger than their nephews, even without inbreeding!

 

[Runwildboys]

wow...
how often does heat tape fail?
is it one per house or one per branch of pipe

That's the first I've heard of it failing, so I'm guessing not very often. More likely, your circuit breaker would pop. If you have 50' of pipe, get a 50' heat tape.