I have an ouside garden tap that freezes every winter, while I am away and the heating is down to 10C, despite a protective insulating cover over the tap on the house wall. Is it safe to wrap the pipe (inside the outer house wall) with a pipe heater wire - one that wraps around the copper pipe? These devices seem to heat up to 70C which seems very high. If so, is it best to maybe just switch it on at night with a timeswitch?
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Are Pipe Heaters Safe?
- Thread starter Traveller 47
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Ok, you can purchase a trace element kit with a 2 meter length wire and thermostat for around £35 to £40. The instructions are in the package. Alternatively you could turn off the supply to the tap and leave the tap open to allow for water expansion if it freezes.
opplumbinghub
OP Plumbing Hub
A pipe heater wire can stop your garden tap from freezing if used properly. Make sure it’s safe for copper pipes and has a thermostat to avoid overheating. Wrap the wire around the pipe, cover it with insulation, and it will keep the pipe just warm enough to prevent freezing. To save energy, use a timer at night or get one that turns on automatically when it’s cold. You could also drain the outdoor tap or replace it with a frost-free one for an easier fix.
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