How to protect pipes before next big freeze?

kkelly77

My two water pipes for my OFCH run overground outside my house and then drop underground (see pics).

I currently have them wrapped in thermal tape and covered with insulation (which I will be replacing). Does anyone have any better solutions to insulate them? Should I box them in? If so, what material should I use? Unfortunately burying them/re routing them is not an option. Thanks for the advice.

paddy147

kkelly77 wrote: »

My two water pipes for my OFCH run overground outside my house and then drop underground (see pics).

I currently have them wrapped in thermal tape and covered with insulation (which I will be replacing). Does anyone have any better solutions to insulate them? Should I box them in? If so, what material should I use? Unfortunately burying them/re routing them is not an option. Thanks for the advice.

What you want and need is the black coloured insulation tubing that is used on outdoor extraction units and solar panel pipes.

This stuff.:)

Any plumbers merchants or plumbing suppliers will have this in stock.Also alot of builders providers stock it too.

kkelly77

paddy147 wrote: »

What you want and need is the black coloured insulation tubing that is used on outdoor extraction units and solar panel pipes.

This stuff.:)

Any plumbers merchants or plumbing suppliers will have this in stock.Also alot of builders providers stock it too.

Cheers Paddy.

Would you know the particular manufacturer of that insulation or price per length?

DoneDL

It`s going to be difficult to get thick insulation around those pipes as they appear too close to the wall. I would suggest lagging the pipes as best you can and fixing an insulated waterproof cover on top.

kkelly77

DoneDL wrote: »

It`s going to be difficult to get thick insulation around those pipes as they appear too close to the wall. I would suggest lagging the pipes as best you can and fixing an insulated waterproof cover on top.

You're right there DoneDL. They're very tight where the pipes are located to the house.

Would a cover suffice though as the freezing air temp is what causes the water to freeze? Is it just to keep the insulation dry prior to our potential icey winter?

DoneDL

I would insulate the pipework with thick insulation as paddy147 suggested 1 1/2" if you can get it or 1" if not. Make a waterproof box with solid insulation of about 2" foil backed insulation. The problem is the more protective the insulation is the bulkier it will be.

kkelly77

DoneDL wrote: »

I would insulate the pipework with thick insulation as paddy147 suggested 1 1/2" if you can get it or 1" if not. Make a waterproof box with solid insulation of about 2" foil backed insulation. The problem is the more protective the insulation is the bulkier it will be.

The gap between the pipes and the wall is the main problem due to the limited space.

How about some standard PVC trunking? I could slide the flat portion behind the pipes and line the box section as best I can prior to fitting. Maybe then cover the completed trunking with something else for extra weather protection?

DoneDL

kkelly77, it will work to some degree but I would be concerned as to the amount of insulation. Another option is to insulate the pipes as best you can and add antifreeze to the system but this doesn`t limit the heatloss from the pipework.

paddy147

kkelly77 wrote: »

The gap between the pipes and the wall is the main problem due to the limited space.

How about some standard PVC trunking? I could slide the flat portion behind the pipes and line the box section as best I can prior to fitting. Maybe then cover the completed trunking with something else for extra weather protection?

You could do that with weatherpoof steel trunking or plastic trunking and then spray in a can of Tech 7 fireproof and thermal expanding foam.

I know a chap who did that,not that pretty to look at,but his pipes never froze over the last 2 winters,since he did this trick.:)

kkelly77

DoneDL wrote: »

add antifreeze to the system but this doesn`t limit the heatloss from the pipework.

Did that when I had to replace a section from both pipes last christmas. I really don't want to have to spend christmas week without heating again

MidlandsM

paddy147 wrote: »

You could do that with weatherpoof steel trunking or plastic trunking and then spray in a can of Tech 7 fireproof and thermal expanding foam.

I know a chap who did that,not that pretty to look at,but his pipes never froze over the last 2 winters,since he did this trick.:)

thats what I'd do......

DoneDL

paddy147 might not be wrong, my concern will be getting access to the pipework if there is a problen and the box is glued to the pipework with expanding foam.

paddy147

DoneDL wrote: »

paddy147 might not be wrong, my concern will be getting access to the pipework if there is a problen and the box is glued to the pipework with expanding foam.

You could build a wooden box around the pipes.

Use decking board and fix them with some outdoor angle brackets and rawl plugs/screws,so that way you can unscrew and pull the boards and expanding foam off,if you ever needed to get at the pipes again.

Expanding foam is very easy to cut away with a stanley knife or a small saw.

kkelly77

paddy147 wrote: »

You could build a wooden box around the pipes.

Use decking board and fix them with some outdoor angle brackets and rawl plugs/screws,so that way you can unscrew and pull the boards and expanding foam off,if you ever needed to get at the pipes again.

Expanding foam is very easy to cut away with a stanley knife or a small saw.

I understand DoneDL's point about access should a problem arise. Deck board would be too thick to get in behind the pipes to complete the 'boxing'.

I've attached a link to the insulation I believe Paddy was describing insultion

paddy147

kkelly77 wrote: »

I understand DoneDL's point about access should a problem arise. Deck board would be too thick to get in behind the pipes to complete the 'boxing'.

I've attached a link to the insulation I believe Paddy was describing insultion

You wouldnt be putting decking board behind the pipes.

Basicly you would box in the pipe in sections and then spray in the expanding foam as you go along.

You are encasing the pipes in expanding foam.

yoshytoshy

It's a pity theres not some sort of ultrasonic device that stops water from freezing .
Wouldn't say it would be hard to come up with something.

kkelly77

yoshytoshy wrote: »

It's a pity theres not some sort of ultrasonic device that stops water from freezing .
Wouldn't say it would be hard to come up with something.

I do remember reading another thread around the time of the 'big freeze'. Someone had put a switch onto the pump of their boiler. This allowed the pump to be turned on, even with the heating off, and allow water to be pumped around the CH system thus preventing frozen pipes.

firemansam4

Maybe some sort of weatherproof wooden boxing, try and insulate the pipes as best as possible with the thicker insulation and pack it out with that attic insulation for double protection

yoshytoshy

kkelly77 wrote: »

I do remember reading another thread around the time of the 'big freeze'. Someone had put a switch onto the pump of their boiler. This allowed the pump to be turned on, even with the heating off, and allow water to be pumped around the CH system thus preventing frozen pipes.

Pumps don't use a lot of electricity ,so it's fairly cheap to leave a pump running.
Some people who have boilers outside ,connect frost stats to the pump only.

Marcanthony

paddy147 wrote: »

You could build a wooden box around the pipes.

Use decking board and fix them with some outdoor angle brackets and rawl plugs/screws,so that way you can unscrew and pull the boards and expanding foam off,if you ever needed to get at the pipes again.

Expanding foam is very easy to cut away with a stanley knife or a small saw.

paddy147 recomendation seems the best to me.Nice cosmetic finish with the decking board and easily accessed.expanding foam is also another good idea.leave lagging on pipe (if none already)before you put on the expanding foam on.

kkelly77

Just wanted to update the thread. Used the construction outlined by paddy147. Replaced the useless insulation with Armaflex, boxed in with decking board and filled with expanding foam, then sealed the top and sides where deck board meets the exterior wall with outdoor silicon.

MidlandsM

/\ - nice job!

paddy147

Very good job indeed.

kkelly77

paddy147 wrote: »

Very good job indeed.

Thank you for the know how paddy.

I would have preferred to have the board running horizontal but the space between the two 3"x2" batons was a lot wider than the deck board's width dimension of 123mm