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Author Topic: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes  (Read 8439 times)

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« on: October 24, 2011, 12:04:01 am »
Hiya,
We're fixing up our water pipes for winter and are fitting a heat trace on the alkathene pipe to ensure frost free pipes  :thumbsup: it gets all taped on with aluminium tape and I suppose we could then leave it at that, but since it was SOOOO cold last year I want to just double up and insulate it too - what's best ?
I've seen the foam tube stuff and also bubble wrap with a foil backing - I've got foam stuff here anyway but need to buy more so wonder if this bubble type stuff is any better ? (It'll be out of chew range for the pigs  ;))
Advice welcomed please folks  :-*

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2011, 12:11:08 pm »
the foam stuf is armstrong      armaflex      pricey if buying new  usually found in skips at the end of a job :farmer:

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2011, 06:24:16 pm »
I've got some of the foam stuff already (think it was costing £1 a meter, but could have been £3  ??? can't remember  ::)) but I need more and when I went looking they had it, plus the foil backed bubble wrap stuff both marked as pipe lagging (and around the same price) so wondered if it was any better ?
Have you recovered from your migration south ? (and then, back north again  ;))
Karen  :wave:

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2011, 06:43:47 pm »
yes i have recovered   but i now see why everybody wants to Holiday in Scotland     we have lush green fields well the ones that do not have potatoes or harvest to get of yet and not deep fissures due to drought
a bit of upset with the chairman having opposition and losing the vote just the bpa  agm to come ;) ;)
the armaflex has to be the correct size the prices are on there website there is only one way to find out what one is best    -20 can only be overcome with digging it in to two and a half feet deep :farmer:

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2011, 09:16:27 pm »
just the bpa  agm to come ;) ;)
When & where ? I might really push my luck and see if I can't get away to it too  ;) ;D

-20 can only be overcome with digging it in to two and a half feet deep :farmer:
Not inside the shed it can't  :-\ I'll just have to hope the heat trace works  ::)

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2011, 09:42:13 pm »
some time in dec at stoneleigh in warickshire    with a bit of luck it will snow  and nobody will turn up  :farmer:

Fowgill Farm

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2011, 11:02:36 am »
BPA AGM Sat 3rd December Stoneleigh Jersy Cow pavillion 11am
HTh
Mandy  :pig:

daddymatty82

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • swindon
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2011, 12:29:13 pm »
sheep fleece wrapped around pip for  exterior pips as added protection maybe?

bazzais

  • Joined Jan 2010
    • Allt Y Coed Farm and Campsite
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2011, 01:31:21 pm »
Good idea - I am going to try fleece this year as I have loads leftover from a project that never happened

I dare not bury my 'pipe tree' incase it leaks - its go so many sizes of pipe, its like spaghetti junction :)

Baz

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2011, 06:55:14 pm »
I was going to pack my stand pipe round with straw then wrap a roll of black bags round it.  Would that work?  I was told that was the entry point for water into the house as well as for the garden hose and don't want to be without water for a month like last year.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #10 on: October 31, 2011, 07:23:28 pm »
straw was the old fashioned idea for frost prevention   the armaflex is far better but even that is going to fail in -20 exposure        just cant beat burying the pipe           there are standpipes that drain down when shut of :farmer:

nick-in-ca

  • Joined Jan 2009
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #11 on: December 30, 2011, 02:20:25 am »
bury it below the frost line  mother earth will keep it warm

chrismahon

  • Joined Dec 2011
  • Gascony, France
Re: Which is the best type of insulation for water pipes
« Reply #12 on: December 30, 2011, 10:28:36 am »
Hi Happy Hippy. Trace heating is fine, but there are two standards for it I've seen. One outputs twice as much as the other, per metre. It will not protect your pipes unless they are insulated as well. The thickness depends on the trace heat output. Options are 13 or 25 mm. 25 is difficult to form around bends and is considerably more expensive. It must be fitted tightly and have no gaps. Most important is that the insulation remains DRY, when it is wet you loose more heat than having none because of the increased surface area. You must use CLOSED cell foam insulation which is rather expensive at about £6 for a 2 metre length of 13 mm and it is not readily available from general plumbing suppliers. I use 32mm internal diameter for insulating external boiler condensate drain pipes. Hope you don't need a lot as you may find burying the pipe the regulatory 750mm -1350mm a cheaper option.

 

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