heat tape blues

[NancyKay]

Well a while back I was posting about having to replace my heat tape. The estimate from one company was $185. (I also got another estimate for $330!) so I had my brother do it. I got the flat heat tape from the store, with a thermostate, that is supposed to come on at the freeze temp. he put that on, along with some insulation wrap, and well on Christmas Eve, I wake up to no water. It had been 45 degrees the day before, but 35 mph winds all night along with lowering temps, made the windchill about 12 degrees. It came back on Christmas Day, after I did go out there for a few mins with a heat gun, though I didn't know what I was doing with the heat gun, just went back and forth over the pipes. and it has been above freezing ever since.

But what went wrong? When you feel the pipe, is the heat tape supposed to be warm? it wasn't cold, like a freezing pipe, but it wasn't like hot or really warm. I would say it was room temperature, though outside, if that makes any sense. So now I'm back to letting the water drip on the coldest nights. But I thought I was all set.

Maybe I should have let the $185 guy do it. But it did seem easy, and as if it was complete and ready to go, then frozen pipes. hmmm....take it off and replace it? Maybe 12 degrees is more than it can stand?

[SpongeBob]

HI, make sure the thermostat part of the heat tape (the protruding nub) is the side that is in contact with the pipe. Also, I believe that heat tape eminates only 7watts of heat per foot of length. That's enough to make it work, but when it comes to the touch of a hand it's hard to feel a difference. Hope this helped.
-Bob

[Yanita]

Hi,

There are 3 articles that you need to read in the Articles link..

1. Don't mix cold weather and dripping water lines.

2. How to properly install a heat tape.

3. Unfreezing your water line. (Should say THAWING)

Yanita

[geraldk]

one more thought on this
dont insulate the thermometer part let it stay out in the cold so to speak or it may not kick in the tape

[Guest]

It is almost always better to have a profesional do jobs if its not in your field. I dont know how many times I have come across "weekend warriors" that makes matters worse than if they just called someone and paid the bill. I fond a lot of times that an area that freezes is just under and in where the water pipe goes up into the home under the water heater. MOst of the time heat tapes are not taped up high enough so the pipe ends up freezing.

[StillKavey]

It is almost always better to have a profesional do jobs if its not in your field. I dont know how many times I have come across "weekend warriors" that makes matters worse than if they just called someone and paid the bill. I fond a lot of times that an area that freezes is just under and in where the water pipe goes up into the home under the water heater. MOst of the time heat tapes are not taped up high enough so the pipe ends up freezing.

Well that being the case lets shut this site down and put up a listing of mobile home repair contractors. Have a good life everyone!