heat tape blues
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 3:55 pm
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?
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?