K
ken1414
Looking for some advice on trying to prevent future frozen pipes on a sports pavilion built in 2008. It is owned by the parish council which I am now on.
The pipes in roof froze last year and caused a big flood as no one went in building for several weeks afterwards, pavilion is only used by football club who don’t play in freezing condition. The pipes run in the loft at the top of the roof space, i.e just below wood at top of roof ridge. They are insulated.
I was told that no one could be sure if heating was on when pipes froze and that heating system can cut out as it overheats. Getting heating system sorted and thought solution was to simply check heating was on. I therefore put in a temperature sensor which sends an SMS when temperature drops to 2C near pipes in loft.
This week when temperature dropped to -8C outside I got an SMS to say pipes down to 2C. Heating was on in building and rooms were 16C. Obviously not enough heat getting through loft insulation to heat pipes. I went and put an electric fan heater in loft space but this didn’t raise temperature much so I drained down pipes to be on safe side.
Should I be concerned at temperatures of 2C in pipes? I would guess in an exceptional year might get down to -12C or -15C outside which would potential mean pipes get down below freezing. I live near Swindon, Wiltshire. Would pipes freeze or would lagging protect them? I am guessing freeze as if below 0C will eventually freeze.
The hot water system pipes are on a loop system with an electric pump so I can heat them by simply leaving hot water on as hot water will be piped around pipes in loft space.
Cold water pipes could still freeze. Would something like this prevent the problem - Trace Heating Cable Tape Pipe Insulation, Lagging, Foam, Armaflex, Commercial, Industrial, UK - Pipe Insulation, Lagging, Foam, Armaflex, Commercial, Industrial, UK. Have approx. 25M of pipe so not that expensive to fit. If fitted something like this could we then turn heating down in building to say 10C and save money that way. Seems more sensible to heat the exposed pipes rather than trying to get enough heat going through loft insulation to prevent pipes freezing?
Thks for any advice anyone can give.
P.S. The building was built by grant from football foundation, and others, and came to £450K. We are a small parish council with total income of approx £30k. Football club pay £2.2k rent of which much goes on paying council tax for the pavilion. Pavilion will never break even so really just trying to reduce costs to parish council and make sure building is maintained properly. Don’t think insurer will like another claim for a burst pipe! Draining down building in cold periods isn’t really an option as councillors are mostly old and not interested in that sort of thing. They might be able to turn off mains water stopcock in cold spells but that would be the limit. Stops a big flood but if pipes burst still need to get fixed.
The pipes in roof froze last year and caused a big flood as no one went in building for several weeks afterwards, pavilion is only used by football club who don’t play in freezing condition. The pipes run in the loft at the top of the roof space, i.e just below wood at top of roof ridge. They are insulated.
I was told that no one could be sure if heating was on when pipes froze and that heating system can cut out as it overheats. Getting heating system sorted and thought solution was to simply check heating was on. I therefore put in a temperature sensor which sends an SMS when temperature drops to 2C near pipes in loft.
This week when temperature dropped to -8C outside I got an SMS to say pipes down to 2C. Heating was on in building and rooms were 16C. Obviously not enough heat getting through loft insulation to heat pipes. I went and put an electric fan heater in loft space but this didn’t raise temperature much so I drained down pipes to be on safe side.
Should I be concerned at temperatures of 2C in pipes? I would guess in an exceptional year might get down to -12C or -15C outside which would potential mean pipes get down below freezing. I live near Swindon, Wiltshire. Would pipes freeze or would lagging protect them? I am guessing freeze as if below 0C will eventually freeze.
The hot water system pipes are on a loop system with an electric pump so I can heat them by simply leaving hot water on as hot water will be piped around pipes in loft space.
Cold water pipes could still freeze. Would something like this prevent the problem - Trace Heating Cable Tape Pipe Insulation, Lagging, Foam, Armaflex, Commercial, Industrial, UK - Pipe Insulation, Lagging, Foam, Armaflex, Commercial, Industrial, UK. Have approx. 25M of pipe so not that expensive to fit. If fitted something like this could we then turn heating down in building to say 10C and save money that way. Seems more sensible to heat the exposed pipes rather than trying to get enough heat going through loft insulation to prevent pipes freezing?
Thks for any advice anyone can give.
P.S. The building was built by grant from football foundation, and others, and came to £450K. We are a small parish council with total income of approx £30k. Football club pay £2.2k rent of which much goes on paying council tax for the pavilion. Pavilion will never break even so really just trying to reduce costs to parish council and make sure building is maintained properly. Don’t think insurer will like another claim for a burst pipe! Draining down building in cold periods isn’t really an option as councillors are mostly old and not interested in that sort of thing. They might be able to turn off mains water stopcock in cold spells but that would be the limit. Stops a big flood but if pipes burst still need to get fixed.
