Quick ? - Should Mains Water Pipe be Insulated?

crazyirishchick

Hi all, just moved into dormer houes and doing routine checks on the water pipes, etc make sure all is done correctly. All pipes through side dormer attic and top attic are insulationed bar one, Its definitely the mains water pipe that goes up to feed our water storage tank, no sign of any insulation on it - should there be?

Many thanks.

ART6

crazyirishchick wrote: »

Hi all, just moved into dormer houes and doing routine checks on the water pipes, etc make sure all is done correctly. All pipes through side dormer attic and top attic are insulationed bar one, Its definitely the mains water pipe that goes up to feed our water storage tank, no sign of any insulation on it - should there be?

Many thanks.

Unless your attic is very heavily insulated it's unlikely that a pipe in it would get cold enough to freeze. However, I insulated all of the pipes in my attic years ago. The cost of a few lengths of expanded foam insulation is so low that there is no point in taking any risks.

Joey the lips

Calm down generally the mains water is done on LDPE Pipe its black or now MDPE its blue!, its not insulated and dont worry it generally does not freeze! I say generally cause I have not seen yours

But no! to answer your question its not insulated!

If your really really worred on a freezing night leave the bathroom tap on a slow trickle and it will keep the water flowing throw. But guarantee this is unnecessary!

Think about it this is running underground for miles, granted 6 inches down is insulated but occassionaly it rises up to the surface!

Its another reason plumbers use as little fittings as possible on this pipe! To prevent it busting at the fitting!


As art6 says though insulation is very cheap!

ART6

Joey the lips wrote: »

Calm down generally the mains water is done on LDPE Pipe its black or now MDPE its blue!, its not insulated and dont worry it generally does not freeze! I say generally cause I have not seen yours

But no! to answer your question its not insulated!

If your really really worred on a freezing night leave the bathroom tap on a slow trickle and it will keep the water flowing throw. But guarantee this is unnecessary!

Think about it this is running underground for miles, granted 6 inches down is insulated but occassionaly it rises up to the surface!

Its another reason plumbers use as little fittings as possible on this pipe! To prevent it busting at the fitting!


As art6 says though insulation is very cheap!

Joey is of course quite right. I was thinking of copper pipe which the material that many cold mains are still plumbed in (including mine!).