what heat tape to use for pex water line
Hither in the Pacific NW, information technology used to be that weather cold enough to cause the pipes to freeze in our homes and businesses was rare. Now; not then much.
Now, information technology seems that every winter we are having those potent 'common cold fronts' that hit united states of america pretty regularly, and when they hit, they hit a bit harder, colder and longer. Without going through a bunch of detailed statistics, if you look closely at the numbers they seem to bear that out.
In addition to stronger and colder spells striking usa in the winters, we have also been striking with a couple of new 'urban legends' most 'new' pipe that volition freeze without breaking; the implication being that 'nosotros don't have to worry about the pipes freezing so much now; they'll be okay". We may take even seen or heard of some state of affairs where indeed, the pipes froze, the water wouldn't flow for a couple of days, and when it warmed up the pipes thawed out and 'no leaks'! What's the deal?
Well it is truthful that in the last 10 to 15 years a 'new' water pipe material has come up into the market place in North America that has gained a reputation for beingness somewhat resistant to freezing and information technology'due south called 'PEX" pipe. PEX is short for 'cross-linked' (ten) 'poly-ethylene' (PE) pipe.
Cross-linked polyethylene ('PEX') piping is indeed a great product. In my opinion it's a big improvement in piping materials over galvanized steel pipe, copper pipe and even PVC pipe for many reasons, not the least of which is that compared to those other piping materials, information technology is extremely 'make clean' in regard to how much it will contaminate the water that it'southward moving and holding. PEX pipage is also somewhat flexible, like a tubing rather than a rigid pipe, and some brands of PEX have a production 'memory' that will allow the product to be aptitude, kinked, or expanded (even by freezing), and then if re-heated the 'memory' will restore the original shape.
Examples of galvanized, copper and PEX pipes
But here is the catch; no PEX pipe tin can be expanded and shrunk by freezing and thawing time later time subsequently time indefinitely; at some point all PEX pipe will lose its 'elasticity' and information technology could neglect/break and leap a leak. Different brands will have different tolerances; only none of them volition put up with that kind of activity without springing a leak at some point, and it's foolish (and against all Plumbing Codes) to install PEX piping in a freeze zone, unprotected.
The 'protection' needed for PEX pipe is just like all other pipage materials. The first and best protection against freezing is to ever run the pipes in conditioned spaces that will be kept above freezing, like inside a wall that has a least one side of it in a heated living space. If that's non practical or possible, and then the pipage needs to be insulated and in some cases wrapped with 'heat-tape' and so insulated; it depends on the situation.
If 'oestrus-tape' is needed, our company always recommends a commercial class production that is shielded and encased in a metal sheath, and then that the outer metal sheath can exist grounded properly. That style, if there were e'er a brusque excursion, the breaker would 'trip' and the circuit would be opened (shut-off), preventing fires. Many, many fires are started every wintertime by inexpensive, un-grounded heat-tape over-heated and/or short circuiting.
Examples of grounded vs not-grounded oestrus-tape.
Over time, freezing and thawing may cause pipes to leak, even if you lot accept the 'new' PEX pipe in your dwelling, condo or town-firm. Don't let a sudden cold snap take you and your plumbing by surprise. Be aware of your plumbing'southward status, and take whatsoever precautions are necessary for your situation…because there is cipher more unforgiving than water.
Bruce Davis Sr.
Licensed Journeyman Plumber
Licensed Electrician, HVAC/R
Electrical Administrator, HVAC/R
Certified WA State C.E.U. Instructor
Bruce Sr is President of Mean solar day and Nite Plumbing and Heating, a threescore-year sometime family owned and operated plumbing and heating business concern in Lynnwood, Washington.
Bruce can be contacted at: Email: Bruce@dayandnite.internet
Day and Nite Plumbing and Heating Inc.
16614 13th Ave. W.
Lynnwood, WA 98037
800-972-7000
Source: https://plumbertalk.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/the-truth-about-freezing-pipes-an-rx-for-p-e-x/
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