Doors & Windows Garages Miscellaneous Insulate Freeze-prone Pipes Level of difficulty: Beginner Nationally, water damage caused by frozen pipes that burst exceeds the damage caused by fire, high winds, or burglary. Oddly enough, the problem is worse in the Deep South than in the north because northerners - builders and homeowners - are more likely to take more effective and consistent preventive measures. Insulating pipes that are exposed to below-freezing temperatures is perhaps the easiest and least expensive first remedial step. Keep in mind, however, that its effectiveness is limited because the insulation merely slows the rate at which the pipes freeze. Additional steps, such as thermostatically controlled heat tapes wrapped around pipes, may be required. In some cases the best solution might be to relocate a pipe that travels through an unheated area. Tip: If you haven't had time for a permanent fix yet, try one of the following tricks whenever the weather is unusually cold or if you go away for a winter vacation: To protect pipes in or near exterior walls, don't set the thermostat below 60 degrees F. Leave undersink cabinet doors open at night or on very cold, windy days. Let water run at a steady trickle. Keep a light burning in a relatively confined space, but exercise caution when using lights or other heat sources in the battle against freezing pipes. Contrary to a widely held belief, it is not the expanding ice itself that causes the pipe to burst. It is the high water pressure that builds up between the blockage and the faucet as the ice continues to form - so the pipe may burst where it is not frozen. If you discover that a pipe has frozen, leave the sink valve open a little to provide relief from the excessive pressure. To thaw a frozen pipe, use a hair dryer or heat gun on a low setting; never use a torch. If there is a chance that the pipe may have burst, look for a shut-off valve to that section of pipe or, if necessary, shut off the main water supply to prevent flooding when it thaws. Materials Needed: Ruler and short boards Hacksaw Cloth tape measure Miter box Pipe insulation Contact adhesive Utility knife Duct tape 1. Locate Problem Areas Look for water pipes that pass through all unconditioned spaces, such as crawl spaces, garages, and attics. Also check conditioned spaces for pipes that pass very close to or rest on foundations, or that are near an exterior wall that might allow cold air to penetrate, such as a dryer vent. 2. Measure the Pipe Measure the outside diameter and length of each section of pipe that you want to insulate. Don't ignore hot-water lines, which freeze more slowly than cold-water lines but are more likely to burst. Total the lengths for each size, adding 10% or so for waste. If your dealer sells preformed insulation for faucets and insulated cover fittings, tally up the number of such fittings, too. Tip: Sometimes it's hard to eyeball the diameter of a pipe by simply holding a ruler up to it. Take two short boards and place them across each side of the pipe. Adjust the boards until they look parallel to each other; and measure the gap between them near the pipe. You could also measure the circumference with a cloth tape measure and divide it by 3.14 to determine the diameter. 3. Buy the Insulation The most widely available pipe insulation is tubular foam that is slit lengthwise to slip over existing pipes. Tubes (sleeves) without slits are designed for installation over new pipe, but can easily be slit with a sharp utility knife. There are also long 2-inch wide Fiberglas strips meant to be wrapped diagonally around pipe. This is good to use around hard-to-cover valves when preformed covers are not readily available. 4. Slip on Straight Sections and Seal Open the pipe insulation along the slit, press it onto the pipe, and seal it. Although a couple pieces of tape would be all that's required to hold the insulation in place, you need a vapor-tight seal to prevent summertime condensation. Two pipe insulation systems work well for this. One has paper tape along the edge of the slit that you peel off to expose an adhesive and press the edges together. The other (shown) requires that you brush contact cement on the slit edges, allow it to become tacky, and then press it together. Or, you can seal the joint with duct tape placed lengthwise all along the seams and end joints. Art courtesy of Armstrong. Tip: When using adhesive to bond seams, don't insulate pipes while they are hot, and wait 36 hours before circulating hot water. 5. Make Cuts When cutting insulation is necessary, use a miter box and either a serrated knife or a hacksaw blade. Use a single-edge razor blade, matte knife, or coping saw with a very fine blade for detail cutting. Then after making the appropriate cuts and confirming a good fit, use adhesive or tape to seal the joint. Art courtesy of Armstrong. 5a. 90-degree tight-radius corners: Miter the ends of two tubes, slip them over the pipes, and slide them tightly together. Art courtesy of Frost King. 5b. Bends or longer-radius corners: Cut numerous V-shaped notches on the slit side of the tube to allow it to bend without compressing or distorting the tube. Art courtesy of Frost King. 5c. T joints: Cut semicircular notches on each side of a slit at the T. Then cut a V-shaped piece out of the end of the intersecting pipe cover to make a nice tight fit with the other cover. Art courtesy of Frost King. 6. Cover Valves If your True Value dealer has preformed covers for valves, using them will be the easiest and most effective approach: Simply fit the two halves over the valves and seal the edges. The next-easiest approach is to use strips of foam or Fiberglas designed to wrap around pipes or fittings, then cover them with a vapor-retarding tape, which is packaged with the insulation. Art courtesy of Frost King. 7. Double Up In particularly vulnerable sections of pipe use two insulating tubes - the first to fit the pipe diameter and the second to fit the outside diameter of the now-wrapped pipe. Image courtesy of Armstrong. Tip: For best results when double-covering, stagger end joints and offset the slits.

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