Heat tape life span

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homebuff
Posts: 325
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:38 am
Location: sallisaw, okla. 74955
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I need to know how long heat tape will last. I installed one about 10 yrs. ago when we moved our tlr. from another location. Allthough my pipes are fine & have not had any problems with pipes freezing in the past. I just want to know if its time to install a new one for safety reasons. It has not thrown any breaker in the past. I installed it at the main line coming up out of the ground to the line going into the house. Thanks David![/b]
I am a certified ford diesel tech, "Retired Now" Ford Parts Department counter man, computer consultant, repairman & programmer
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Brenda (OH)
Posts: 325
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:57 am

Well David, it is kind of like an auto repair,

would you rather replace a tire after 60000 miles, even if it looks like it would last longer, in your own driveway, on a nice day, at your convenience, or rather have the tire fail 300 miles away from home, on a dark and rainy night on a muddy back road? and risk the extra damage to your car?

once folks give you an idea of life span for a heat tape, if you are near it, you may want to consider replacing the heat tape on a nice dry summer day..... because I can personally tell you, it sucks having to do it on a 17 degree day, with the wind blowing. the darn concrete is cold, even though you put a sleeping bag on top of it to lay on, and that is if the store have the heat tape in stock... which I got lucky.... nuff said, that bad memory from last winter too will fade, along with the thermostat dead battery turning off the furnace from this winter lol

Brenda (OH)

interesting thing the contractor did for this last home he put the heat tape on, it was the long metal type, he put a loop of the tape up through the skirting, I can hold the loop in my fingers to see if it is warm, without removing the skirting, which has been nice to be able to check so quickly if the tape is functioning on very cold days.
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Greg
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Brenda said it all. You may want to measure up your tape and pick up an extra one, just in case... Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
homebuff
Posts: 325
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:38 am
Location: sallisaw, okla. 74955
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Great response to both. The heat tape is just inside behind the skirting protected with insulation rapped around it also, but will have to remove one panel to see if it has gone south. It has a little lite bulb inside the loom. Thanks David!
I am a certified ford diesel tech, "Retired Now" Ford Parts Department counter man, computer consultant, repairman & programmer
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Greg
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Don't go by just the indicator light, that is just telling you that it is cold enough that the tape has power, if the tape is broken the light is still on but now power is going through it. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
homebuff
Posts: 325
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:38 am
Location: sallisaw, okla. 74955
Contact:

Thanks Greg. I'm Glad you told me that. I'll get another one soon. You & your family & staff have a Happy & Safe New Year. Goes for you too Brenda. Maybe 2009 will be better than 2008.
I am a certified ford diesel tech, "Retired Now" Ford Parts Department counter man, computer consultant, repairman & programmer
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Greg
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Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

Glad we could help. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
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