Insulation of water supply pipes in a private house

A good water supply to houses is a very important condition for the comfortable living of people in them. But it happens that residents of private houses, when the cold comes, face a huge problem - this is the freezing of the water supply. This happens especially often if the tenants live in the house all year round. Only the correct selection of materials and high-quality insulation of the water supply system in the house will help to get away from all sorts of problems.

Why is insulation necessary

Insulation of the water supply system is not always required, however strange it may sound. This is influenced by many and different factors. For example, what are the climatic conditions, how the water supply was laid, how often the residents live in the house. If the residents of the house visit it only in the warm season, then there is no great need for insulation. It is enough just to preserve the system, having properly prepared it for winter. Also, there is no need for insulation if the water supply is laid at a sufficient depth from the surface of the earth. It is quite easy to calculate it: add 0.5 meters to the depth of freezing of the soil. Observing this norm, you will save yourself from unnecessary problems for redoing the water supply system.

The depth of freezing near the ground is different in different regions. The further north the region is, the deeper this depth will be, and it can reach up to 2-2.5 meters. There are situations that it is not always possible to lay a trench to the required depth. In such cases, you cannot do without high-quality insulation of the water supply system. Also an important element of insulation is the area where the pipe enters the room and the well itself. It is necessary to pay attention in advance to the insulation of this place.

Warming methods

There are different ways to insulate pipes. It is worth highlighting:

1. Warming with heat-insulating material.
2. Laying a water supply system 0.5 meters lower than the level of soil freezing.
3. Using a heating cable.
4. Air space supply.
5. Purchase of finished pipes with insulation.

The climate in different regions of the country is different. With this in mind, some homeowners use more than one insulation method. After all, each has its drawbacks, and has its own advantages. Also, some household members choose alternative methods. But it is worth noting that alternative methods are not suitable for everyone, they only warn against bad consequences. If the house does not live all year round, but only in the summer, for example, in the country, the water from the pipes can simply be pumped out. You can use the option with a slightly open tap. The constant circulation of water prevents it from stagnating in one place and freezing. But this method is very ineffective. Excessive waste of water, plus everything for a long open tap cannot be left unattended.

Also, to increase the pressure, a special pump can be used instead of an open tap. To create additional pressure, you can use another device - a receiver. The operation of the receiver protects the system from freezing by maintaining the pressure in the pipeline.

Insulation materials and their installation

When the elements of the water supply are on the surface, they must be insulated by correctly selecting the necessary insulation material. Now there are a lot of different options for materials. They all differ in price and quality. They can be divided into several groups:

• Fiberglass. Not the most reliable and best option. The material in installation is very simple: the pipes are wrapped and simply tied with a special tape or a tourniquet. Needs additional waterproofing with roofing material, foil.Of the advantages, one can single out that it does not lose its properties even underground, it can be reused.
• Polyurethane foam. It can be found in both liquid and solid state. The most commonly used insulation option. Installation takes place in the form of spraying white foam on the pipes. Can be applied to any freezing surface.
• Foamed polyethylene. It performs its functions well, it is very easy to mount.
• Styrofoam. It is used quite rarely as a heater, it is a very fragile and brittle material.
• Special paint. It should be noted right away that this is not an ordinary paint, but a heat-insulating paint. It is applied with a special gun in several layers to the pipe surface for better insulation. The pipes must be cleaned and primed prior to application for better adhesion. We can say that this group is a newcomer to the market of insulation materials. In addition to the main functions, insulation, it also perfectly performs additional ones, namely, it protects metal pipes from corrosion. Of the minuses, one can single out the high cost of the material.

But it is worth remembering that the quality of the insulation material is not something to save on, so that in the future you do not have to waste money on fixing problems, a new installation of a water supply system, as well as re-insulation. In conditions of a limited budget, it is better to save on the installation of insulation, and try to do everything with your own efforts. After all, the installation of insulation does not require any professional qualities or skills. In such cases, it is worth choosing polyurethane foam and polyethylene.

Installation process and errors

The process of installing fiberglass is not laborious and does not require special skills, as mentioned above. The water supply system is wrapped directly with the insulation itself, and on top of it is strengthened with a tourniquet, tape. However, when installing it, the main thing is to avoid some mistakes:

• A second protective coat must be applied. If this is not done, the fiberglass can be damaged by weather conditions, rodents. When working with glass wool, it is necessary to wear protective clothing. If not used, it can cause cuts or the fiber can enter the respiratory tract. If you are installing this type of insulation, do not make such mistakes.
• The process of installing basalt or foam plastic is also not time consuming. Two halves of the insulation are put on the pipe and all the joints are glued together with tape. The only critical mistake you can make during installation is not to protect the insulation itself from moisture and external factors. Dismantling is as easy as the installation itself. Everything is done in reverse order.
• Heating cable installation can be of two types. If the external version can be done by yourself, simply by winding the cable around the water supply system, or by attaching it, either with bundles or tape. Then it's better to invite a specialist to the internal version. For the price it will be more expensive, but this is one of the most effective ways to insulate pipes. The only factor that plays a negative role in this type of insulation is the dependence on a constant supply of electric current. If long power outages are likely, then you need to add another method of insulation.

The main mistakes when insulating a water supply system are usually made by people even before the very process of warming. Typical mistakes are not observing the depth of the water supply. Negligent insulation of surface elements. They begin to engage in insulation already with the onset of cold weather. They do not protect the insulation from rodents, which in the cold season themselves look for warm places, they simply attack the insulation of the water supply system. Compliance with all standards and the absence of these errors will warn you against problems.

Conclusion

Incorrect calculation of the thermal insulation layer or the wrong choice of material can lead to freezing. The most important thing is to approach the issue of water supply insulation very responsibly. After all, in winter, no one would like to be left without such an important element in our life as water.