Keeping Pipes From Freezing In The Attic

Use heat tape on problem pipes.

Keeping pipes from freezing in the attic.

The best prevention against frozen pipes is to keep them warm enough to stay above the freezing point. The best pipe insulation for your situation will depend. If you look up in your attic and find exposed pipes you really need to take immediate action. When a water pipe leaks under a slab it is necessary to jackhammer a hole in the slab to get to the damaged pipe.

Exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing. It s easy for pipes to freeze during a cold winter. Heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables can be used to wrap pipes. Surprisingly both hot and cold pipes can be at risk.

Field tests of residential water systems showed that for uninsulated pipes installed in an unheated attic freezing began when the outside temperature fell to 20 f or below. Often inexpensive foam pipe insulation is enough for moderately cold climates. The leak can often be repaired by. Cold temperatures can cause water pipes to freeze.

Insulate pipes located in the attic and crawl space using pipe insulation even if the climate where you live does not often have hard freeze conditions you can also wrap pipes in heat tape or heat cables with a thermostat control. But plumbing pipes in an unheated area such as an attic crawl space and garage are at risk of freezing. There are number of steps you can can take when learning how to keep pipes from freezing in the first place. Here are 10 ways to keep your pipes from freezing even during a record cold snap.

Fortunately it s just as easy to protect them from the low temperatures. Freezing in a pipe creates a lot of pressure inside the pipe and can cause the pipe to burst and likely lead to serious flooding especially when there s no one around to turn off the water. If you notice plumbing pipes that are fully exposed to the elements understand that you are playing a game of water damage russian roulette and eventually you will lose. You can do this with any one of six simple steps or.

Controlled by a thermostat to activate only when the attic temperature plunges dangerously low the tape typically consumes about 5 watts per foot. Remember the more insulation you use the better protected your pipes will be. For severe climes opt for wrapping problem pipes with thermostatically controlled heat tape from 50 to 200 depending on length which will turn on at. Moving plumbing pipes from a slab to an attic.

The best way to keep your pipes from freezing is to purchase specifically designed pipe insulation.