How to insulate a water pipe in winter. Insulation of a water pipe for the winter. Maintaining pressure as a remedy for freezing pipes

Do-it-yourself winter plumbing in the country can be done in two ways:

bury it so that it does not freeze (below the freezing depth);
lay shallow, but with insulation and / or heating.

Insulation of a water supply system is an event that requires not so much money as labor - digging trenches, laying pipes, wrapping them up, throwing and compacting the soil, all this takes time and considerable effort. But the result is the presence of water in the house at any time of the year.

Laying pipes below freezing depth

This method is advisable to use if in winter the soil freezes no deeper than 170 cm. A trench is dug from a well or well, the bottom of which is 10-20 cm below this value. Sand (10-15 cm) is poured to the bottom, the pipes are laid in a protective casing (corrugated sleeve), then they are covered with earth.

This is the easiest way to make winter plumbing in the country, but it is not the best, although it is the cheapest. Its main drawback is that if repairs are needed, you will have to dig again, and to the full depth. And since it is difficult to determine the place of a leak with this method of laying a water pipe, there will be a lot of work.

In order to have as few repairs as possible, there should be as few pipe connections as possible. Ideally, they should not be at all. If the distance from the water source to the cottage is greater, make the connections carefully, achieving perfect tightness. It is the joints that leak most often.

The choice of material for pipes in this case is not an easy task. On the one hand, a solid mass presses from above, therefore, a strong material is needed, and this is steel. But steel laid in the ground will actively corrode, especially if the groundwater is high. The problem can be solved by well primed and painted over the entire surface of the pipes. Moreover, it is desirable to use thick-walled ones - they will last longer.

The second option is polymer or metal-polymer pipes. They are not subject to corrosion, but they must be protected from pressure - they must be placed in a protective corrugated sleeve.

One more moment. The depth of soil freezing in the region is determined over the past 10 years - its average indicators are calculated. But firstly, very cold and little snow winters occur periodically, and the ground freezes deeper. Secondly, this value is the average for the region and does not take into account the conditions of the site. Perhaps it is on your piece that freezing can be greater. All this is said to the fact that when laying pipes, it is still better to insulate them, lay sheets of foam or polystyrene foam on top, as in the photo on the right, or lay them in thermal insulation, as on the left.

Pipeline insulation

When making water supply to a private house from a well and a well, the pipeline can be laid at a very shallow depth - 40-50 cm - this is quite enough. It is only necessary to lay pipes in such a shallow trench insulated. If you want to do everything thoroughly, then lay out the bottom and sides of the trench with some kind of building material - brick or building blocks. From above everything is covered with plates.

If desired, you can fill up the soil and plant annuals - if necessary, the soil can be easily removed and free access to the pipeline is provided.

Insulation for water pipes

You can use two types of heaters:

special energy-saving shells molded in the form of pipes, they are also called "pipe shells";
roll material - a common insulation in the form of rolls, which is used for walls, roofs, etc.

Thermal insulation for pipes in the form of a shell is made of the following materials:

Mineral wool - glass wool and stone wool - have one significant drawback: they are hygroscopic. By absorbing water, they lose most of their heat-insulating properties. After drying, they are restored only partially. And another very unpleasant moment, if wet mineral wool freezes, after freezing it turns into dust. To prevent this from happening, these materials require careful waterproofing. If you cannot guarantee the absence of moisture, it is better to use a different material.

Heating

When planning a winter water supply, you need to keep in mind that insulation only helps to reduce heat loss, but cannot heat. And if at some point the frosts turn out to be stronger, the pipe will still freeze. Particularly problematic in this sense is the section of the pipe outlet from the underground sewer to the house, even if it is heated. All the same, the ground near the foundation is often cold, and it is in this area that problems most often arise.

If you don't want to freeze your plumbing, do pipe heating. For this, either heating plates are used - depending on the diameter of the pipes and the required heating power. Cables can be laid lengthwise or wound in a spiral.

Method of fixing the heating cable to the water pipe (the cable must not lie on the ground)

The heating cable is good for everyone, but it is not uncommon for us to have power outages for several days. What will happen to the pipeline then? Water will freeze and can burst pipes. And repair work in the midst of winter is not the most pleasant experience. Therefore, several methods are combined - and the heating cable is laid, and insulation is placed on it. This method is also optimal from the point of view of minimizing costs: under thermal insulation, the heating cable will consume a minimum of electricity.

Another way to attach the heating cable. To make electricity bills smaller, you also need to install a heat-insulating shell on top or fix a roll of thermal insulation

Laying a winter water supply in the country can be done using this type of thermal insulation, as in the video (or you can take the idea into service and do something similar with your own hands).

Winter plumbing in the country: new technologies in insulation

There is an interesting option, a flexible polymer pipe insulated at the factory. On top of the insulation there is a layer of waterproofing, and along the pipe there is a channel for laying the heating cable. Such pipes are called non-freezing pipelines or insulated pipes. For example, even in the northern regions, it is possible to make winter water supply in a country house on the surface using ISOPROFLEX-ARCTIC pipes.

Operating temperature - up to -40°C, operating pressure - from 1.0 to 1.6 MPa, pressure pipe diameter - from 25 mm to 110 mm. Can be laid in a channel or on the surface. They are flexible, supplied in coils of the desired length, which allows us to minimize the number of joints.

There is also a new way to insulate winter plumbing in the country - liquid thermal insulation or thermal insulation paint. It can be applied to an already installed plumbing, which can be a good way out.

Usually, regardless of the type of water supply source, they are equipped at some distance from the house. To enter the water supply into the house, an external water supply is laid from the water supply source, which is either permanently buried in a trench or deployed with a flexible hose around the site.

The second method of supplying water to the house (outdoor water supply at home) is used only for the warm season and is practiced by seasonal residents who come to the site during the warm season and leave for the city in the summer.

An alternative to temporary external water supply is a stationary water supply laid in a trench. Trench water supply is done once and for a long time. The relative disadvantage of trench water supply is the possibility of freezing in winter. This disadvantage is combated by the insulation of the external water supply. Insulated external water supply allows you to use individual water supply at home all year round.

Frozen plumbing in a trench

For any geographic location, there is such a thing as the depth of soil freezing.

For trench laying of an external water supply system, the depth of the trench, or rather the level of laying an external water supply system, must be below 50 cm of the soil freezing level.

Such a depth of laying an external water supply does not mean that the water pipes do not require insulation, rather the opposite. Any outdoor plumbing intended for winter use requires insulation with available heaters.

Insulation of the external water supply at home: types and methods

Warming of the external water supply of the house is carried out with special building materials. Usually use:

Styrofoam;
Polystyrene "shell";
Basalt wool in cylinders;
Glass wool.

Each material has its own advantages and some disadvantages.

Styrofoam

Foam sheets are familiar to everyone. Styrofoam holds heat well, does not rot and is inexpensive. Styrofoam is a cheap insulation that is not specifically designed for pipe insulation, but can be used for this purpose. Styrofoam is laid on the bottom of the trench, and a box is made on the sides and at the top of the pipes.

Polystyrene "shell"

Polystyrene "shells" are special cylinders that wrap outdoor water pipes. Depending on the manufacturer, photo below, insulating cylinders can be with double locks, cut on one side, fastened with clamps.

In fact, the technological concept of "shell" refers to shaped products for insulation, only straight sections of the pipeline.

In addition to the "shell", are produced:

Insulation segments (1, 2): to insulate part of the pipe surface. It is not used in individual water supply.
Warming knees (3): for insulation of bends and bends of the pipeline. The house is used in equipped pits of water supply sources, as well as at the input of water supply to the house.
Insulation crosses (4): For insulation of T-shaped branches of water pipes.

Basalt wool in cylinders

Basalt wool in cylinders is similar to polystyrene shaped products. Only, basalt wool is more plastic and somewhat easier to install.

glass wool

Glass wool is the cheapest insulation for outdoor plumbing. The main disadvantage: the material is harmful and difficult to work with.

Proper insulation of the external plumbing of the house

Recall what the external plumbing of a private house represents. In fact, this is one or two water pipes running from an equipped water supply source to an equipped entrance to the house.

Since we are laying the pipeline below the freezing level, a priori, the soil temperature should not be below zero degrees. Therefore, it is quite enough to insulate the pipes of the external water supply, with any insulation in one layer.

More correct insulation is to make a foam or polystyrene box around the pipes, and insulate the pipes themselves with cylinder heaters or wrap them with rolled insulation, fastening them with wire.

Ultra-reliable insulation of the external plumbing of the house

Ultra-reliable insulation of the external water supply of the house, this is the heating of the water pipes with a thermal electric cable.

The cable is laid from the house to the source of water supply, along the laid pipe. A heat cable is selected for open installation. That is, the heat cable should not end where it started to be laid, in other words, it should be two-core. The heat cable is laid close to the pipe, fixed on it and wrapped with a heater. The electric cable is switched on, only on frosty days.

It is worth noting that quite often, in especially frosty areas, a thermal electric cable of a special modification is laid inside water pipes.

When creating plumbing systems, a large part of the pipes are laid underground. This is true for any communications - both for the lines of housing and communal services, and for water supply systems for private houses. However, the pipeline, even if it is in the ground, needs protection from cold and excess moisture.

Now there are several relevant and effective ways to prevent pipe freezing, and each of the options has a number of characteristic features and properties. We will consider the most effective insulation technologies and.

1 On the relevance of pipeline insulation

Some mistakenly believe that laying water pipes in the ground is already protecting the system from frost. This is true, however, only if you dig a line to a great depth - over one and a half to two meters.

This parameter may vary depending on the region - for some (southern) soil freezing depth according to SNiP is 130 cm (for the Krasnodar Territory) for others (northern) - more than 200 cm (for the Krasnoyarsk Territory).

That is, in winter, frost penetrates to such a depth, which means that the water in the pipe will freeze - which will create significant problems. Moreover, only approximate figures are given, which may vary depending on the season - so for fidelity, at least 20-30% should be added.

Thus, the following conclusion can be drawn: in order to lay a water pipe in the ground without insulation and do it without fear that the pipes will freeze in winter, you need to dig a trench at least 2 meters deep. Excavation works of this volume are complex, expensive, and time-consuming, and if the line is damaged, it will take longer to get to it for repair work. So it's much easier to go about a meter deep, but use a heater.

In addition to protection from the cold, the thermal insulation of the pipeline will also protect the system from moisture (however, moisture-resistant polymer materials are usually used for laying underground), and from soil displacements that occur regularly.

Insufficient quality (or even absent) insulation of the pipeline can lead to its freezing. The consequences of such a problem are very, very serious:

the water supply to the house will stop;
the frozen area may burst (because water expands when it freezes);
it will be necessary to tear a trench (in winter, in frost) along the entire length of the pipeline - to find and fix the problem.

2 Methods of pipeline insulation

As mentioned above, the thermal insulation of pipes laid in the ground can be performed in several ways. Let's list them:

The use of roll materials and.
The use of insulating shells.
The use of a heating cable.
The use of bulk materials.
The use of pipes with a large wall thickness.
Application of additional protection over the insulation.

Typically, pipe insulation technologies are combined - to increase the efficiency of each method. Now let's take a closer look at each of the options.

2.1 Use of roll materials

One of the most common ways to insulate water pipes laid in the ground is to wind them with rolled mineral wool materials. This material is universal, and is used not only for pipes, but also for any other structures.

Such thermal insulation is also used to protect lines passing on the surface - it is cheap, simple (if desired, you can do it yourself without any problems) and quite effective - with a large thickness of the material.

The disadvantage of the option is the weak resistance of cotton wool to moisture, like that of cotton wool - it absorbs liquid, is taken in lumps, and quickly loses its properties. To avoid such problems, mineral wool insulation is wrapped on top with plastic wrap in several layers.. To enhance the effect, you can also use a metal or polymer casing, which is put on pipes on top of mineral wool and polyethylene.

Consider the key stages of the application of the material:

The pipeline is tightly wrapped with material in several layers.
Over the mineral wool - wire is wound.
On top of the structure - polyethylene and / or a window is used.

2.2 Application of heat-insulating shell

A modern version, created specifically for the insulation of pipelines. It is a cylinder that is put on top of the pipe like a casing. It can be of two types (by design):

Whole.
Detachable - when the cylinder consists of two separable parts.

Each of the options has its own characteristics, its pros and cons. The first one is good because it has fewer seams, which means it retains heat better. The second one is more convenient, but when used, extra joints are obtained.

In fact, this is not a critical nuance: with proper installation and the use of an additional layer (polyethylene or a casing on top), such insulation will be no less effective than when using a whole cylinder.

In addition, a prefabricated shell is the only possible way if the pipeline has already been assembled - in this case, putting on a one-piece cylinder simply will not work. The detachable shell has special grooves that improve the tightness and reliability of the connection.

2.3 Using a heating cable

A more expensive option from the list of modern solutions with. The principle is as follows: a thin cable is wound around the pipeline, which, when turned on, heats up, giving off heat to the pipe itself. Warming of this type is a controversial method, and has a number of significant advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages include the following points:

the ability to turn on and off the heating system;
possibility of temperature regulation;
significant efficiency, allowing pipes to be buried in the ground at a shallower depth.

Cons, however, no less:

the consumption of electricity increases (and hence the payment of utility bills);
in the absence of electricity, the system will not be able to work, which can lead to freezing of the pipe in frost.

Warming in this way is recommended only in combination with any other heat insulator. By the way, as for the combination - the cable itself is in reliable insulation, and its temperature does not exceed 60-70 degrees. Thus, the insulation itself will not suffer - since the melting point of heat insulators is much higher.

2.4 Using a heating cable (video)

2.5 Use of bulk materials

The simplest, cheapest, but less effective option is to use bulk insulation:

sand:
perlite;
expanded clay;
vermiculite on .

This method is used only in combination with any of the other options - insulation with bulk materials is not effective, and alone cannot prevent the pipeline from freezing. The application of the technology is extremely simple:

A layer of material is poured at the bottom of the dug trench (the more, the better, of course, usually about 10-20 cm).
The pipe is laid and its insulation is carried out by any of the methods.
The system is filled with material (again - the more - the better).

It is important to pour insulation not only in depth, but also in width - so it is recommended to make the trench not too narrow. It is desirable that there is a layer of at least 10 cm of material around the pipe.

2.6 Application of pipes with large wall thickness

If insulation is planned at the design stage of the system, it is recommended to pay attention to pipes that are specially created with a larger wall thickness. They are used for laying indoors and outdoors (including in the ground) - wherever additional protection against freezing is required.

The cost of such products is usually 20-50% higher (depending on the thickness, of course) than for pipes with a normal wall thickness. The effectiveness of this method can hardly be called significant, but in the aggregate, the use of such materials is still relevant. By the way, they can be performed both from metal and from various polymer compositions.

2.7 Application of additional protection over insulation

As repeatedly mentioned above, it is important to use additional protection when laying pipes in the ground. It is necessary to protect the material from moisture, as well as from soil displacements (which occurs quite often during temperature changes).

Now the most common solutions are the following materials:

Polyethylene film (protects against moisture, but does not prevent the impact on the insulation during soil displacements).
Metal casing - cylinders made of galvanized metal, which are put on the pipe and fastened with fasteners and / or wire.
Polymer casings are cylinders made of polymer alloys that are put on the pipe and fastened with special latches.

Any of the materials described above can be used without problems underground without additional protection.

2.8 About the types and differences of thermal insulation (video)

2.9 Work steps

We list the complete list of works that will have to be performed when insulating a water pipe in the ground. As an example, we will consider a combination of several methods mentioned above.

The steps are:

A trench is dug (preferably at least to the depth of freezing of the soil) about 25-30 cm wide.
Expanded clay is poured at the bottom of the trench - 10 cm.
A polyethylene film is laid on expanded clay.
The pipeline is being installed.
A detachable heat-insulating shell (say, from foam plastic) is installed on top of the pipeline.
The joints between the segments of the shell are smeared with glue, after which they are tightly pressed against each other.
The polyethylene film is tightly wound on the insulation in several layers.
A wire (galvanized) is tightly wound over the film.
A layer of expanded clay is poured - 10 cm thick and 20 cm high.
The trench is being dug.

The outer part of a stationary water supply system to a private house is usually placed in the ground. So it does not take up space on the site, it is protected from mechanical influences. However, it must also be protected from low temperatures during the frosty period. What can be done to prevent the formation of traffic jams in the pipeline in winter?

For uninterrupted water supply in winter, it is necessary to carry out the insulation of the water supply in the ground. We will tell you how to protect pipes laid in the ground from freezing. The article presented for review describes in detail the proven options for solving this problem.

Freezing of the underground water supply occurs due to the ground temperature reaching negative values. One way to prevent the problem is to run pipes at depths where sub-zero temperatures are unattainable.

If this requirement has not been met, other measures must be taken to solve the problem of uninterrupted water supply.

Image gallery

Unfortunately, we live in an area where we have to think about how not to freeze in winter. But this applies not only to people, but to everything that surrounds us in the economy. It is very important to know how to insulate a water pipe. If this is not done on time, then at some point you can be left without water supply in the house. And trying to carry out repair work in the cold season is not only unpleasant, but also quite laborious. Let's take a closer look at how to insulate a water pipe with your own hands.

Primary requirements

Until a certain point, materials that were at hand were used in construction. But human needs and requests are getting bigger, so the approach to the components must be appropriate. If we talk about what kind of insulation should be used for pipes, then here are the main requirements that apply to it:

Durability. An important factor, because the insulation is not made with the expectation of a year or two. This would require frequent earthworks, which are exhausting.
Strength. If the pipe is in the ground, then sufficient pressure is exerted on it. If this is not taken into account, then the insulator will simply lose its elasticity and its effectiveness will be reduced to zero.
Corrosion resistance. The impact of external factors can be detrimental to some coatings, so either the insulation itself must have an inert layer, or you will need to take care of the presence of one.
Heat capacity. It should be minimal. This means that the temperature of the insulation should not change when exposed to external factors.
The ability to absorb water. It is desirable that the material has a water-repellent effect. This will make it possible to prevent the penetration of moisture from the soil or during precipitation. Otherwise, during its accumulation, the protective layer may be destroyed due to freezing.
Fire resistance. This factor plays a very important role when used indoors, as well as in cases where the plumbing is made of plastic pipes.
Maintainability. Well, if any section is damaged, it can be replaced modularly, without using the rest of the canvas.
High temperature resistant. This indicator will be indispensable in the case when it is necessary to supply hot water from home to another room.

What can be used

In principle, any material that will be listed below can be used to insulate a water pipe. But the choice should fall on the one that will be most suitable for specific conditions. It may not meet absolutely all the requirements listed above, and this is not always necessary.

One of the options that has been used for a long time and is constantly being improved is mineral wool. There are several varieties of it. Glass wool is made from glass, its share is about 35% (usually recycled glass containers, etc.), soda ash, sand and other additives. Therefore, it can be called sufficiently environmentally friendly. Its positive aspects are:

minimum thermal conductivity;
ease of installation;
light weight;
ease of transportation;
not food for rodents;
noise protection.

Of the minuses can be noted:

poor resistance to moisture, which leads to loss of thermal insulation properties;
the need to use personal protective equipment during installation;
the fiber is easily damaged and torn with little effort;
shrinkage may occur over time;
resistance to fire.

A peculiar subspecies is basalt wool. It is made from stone battle. In addition to all these advantages, we can distinguish resistance to high temperatures, as well as immunity to moisture.

Foamed rubber is a synthetic product that has appeared on the market not so long ago. It was developed specifically for the insulation of pipelines indoors and outdoors. Its characteristics:

high elasticity;
resistance to high temperatures;
moisture resistance;
ease of installation;
vapor tightness;
self-extinguishing when exposed to an open flame.

If we talk about the minuses, then this is most likely only the complexity of delivery, because it takes up a fairly large volume with low weight.

Polyethylene foam is often used as a substrate for various floorings. But some of its types are designed specifically for pipeline insulation. The choice of masters falls on him because he:

does not support the development of bacteria and fungi, which is very important for a humid environment;
easy to install;
has a small weight;
UV resistant;
fireproof;
does not require special skills during installation.

With prolonged use, the material may shrink to a certain extent, which reduces its initial performance. In addition, there are certain problems when sealing seams. It is very difficult to achieve a perfect fit in some cases.

Penoplex and polystyrene foam have a lot of similar properties. They are derivatives of the polymer component. This means that they practically do not interact with organic substances. These materials:

are easy to install;
have a small weight;
have zero heat capacity;
resistant to moisture;
characterized by compressive strength.

At the same time, the products are very unstable to open fire. Rodents are very fond of harming such heaters.

The shell made of foamed polyurethane is a product in the form of semicircles, which are put on like a cover on a pipe. Usually on top it is covered with a protective layer of waterproofing. Use it based on:

ease of selection for a specific diameter;
lack of thermal conductivity;
light weight;
assembly in the form of a constructor;
the possibility of multiple use;
the possibility of carrying out work on insulation even in winter.

The negative aspects are: sufficient transport costs, as well as a maximum temperature limit of 120°C.

A relatively new, but quite interesting development is insulation with a special paint. Even a small layer of it has good insulating properties. If it is increased several times, then the losses will be significantly reduced. This product:

easy to apply on surfaces of any shape;
has excellent adhesion to metal;
not affected by salts;
endowed with anti-corrosion properties;
eliminates the formation of condensate;
no additional load on the pipes;
after coating, all valves or revision units remain freely available;
ease of repair;
high temperature resistance.

Of the negative sides, one can single out the need for additional insulation in case of severe freezing of the soil or the external location of the water pipes.

Warming with mineral wool

This method is more suitable for indoor use, as well as for above-ground street water supply. The sequence of actions will be as follows:

If you use ready-made mineral wool elements that come in the form of cylinders, then they are put on the pipe, and the joints are well glued with aluminum tape. For better insulation of the tap, it is necessary to unscrew the handle from it. Cut a hole in the insulation for the fastener. Put it on, and after that screw the handle.

Foam rubber insulation

Such material, like the previous one, can be produced in sheet modification and ready-made tubes. The advantage of the first option will be the ability to independently choose the thickness of the insulation for any pipe. In many ways, the installation is similar to that described for mineral wool. The difference is:

Possibility of installation not only on the surface or indoors. The material perfectly tolerates being in the ground. But at the same time, it will definitely need to be additionally wrapped in plastic wrap.
In order to better fix the sheets wrapped around the pipe, you can use special glue or double-sided tape. A piece of the required length is measured and cut. It wraps around the pipe. The ends are smeared with the composition, after which they are pressed tightly until they set. Individual elements can be fixed to each other in the same way. In this case, a monolithic structure will be obtained. For greater reliability, you can use aluminum tape.
When ready-made tubes are used when passing corners, it is necessary to create a small seal in the place where it will bend. If this is not done, then the wall may stretch and its thickness will be less, which will increase the likelihood of freezing.

The following video shows the foam rubber pipe insulation technology:

Foam insulation

When using this material, the least amount of time will be spent. It, like the previous method, can be used for pipes that are laid in various conditions. The degree of moisture absorption is minimal. This means that penoplex can be in the ground without harming it. Products from it usually represent the so-called shell. These are two half-cylinders. In order for them to fit well together, a special spike-groove lock is provided at the ends. The radius of the inner circle is equal to the outer one on the nozzle for which a particular sample is intended. During installation, they can be coated with a suitable adhesive or reinforced tape. In this case, there is a guarantee that moisture will not seep inside and will not destroy the pipe.

Paint insulation

It seems that scientists have finally managed to develop a unique method that requires minimal time, effort and money. But it is worth mentioning right away that for pipes that are laid on the surface or above the freezing of the soil, this option is more likely to be an additional solution than the main one. In the case of using such a paint, it will be possible to reduce the thickness of the main insulation. In order to process the surface, you will need to do the following:

Before opening the container, it is necessary to check the integrity of the seals. This will ensure that the material came in factory quality.
The consistency of the composition is such that the liquid base sinks to the bottom, and the solid component rises. Therefore, before starting any work, it is important to mix. If it will be carried out using a mixer or drill, then the revolutions of the tool should not exceed 150 per minute. You need to move the nozzle not only in circular motions, but also in reverse translational.
In the case when the paint has stood for a long time, then it can be diluted with distilled water.
Application to the surface can be done with an ordinary brush or a special sprayer. If the latter is used, it is important to make sure that all modules will be free of filters. This is very important to do, because the paint contains small spheres, which are the secret component. If they pass through the grids, they will be destroyed, which will turn the composition into an ordinary facade paint. Spraying should also be carried out at a pressure not exceeding 8 atmospheres.
Some paints imply the possibility of applying directly to rusty surfaces. This will avoid preparatory work.

Note! If the liquid has stood for more than 5 minutes without being used, then it must be mixed again for a few seconds until a homogeneous mass is formed.

Heating cable

The use of an active heating system brings with it a huge number of advantages. Thanks to it, it becomes possible not only to prevent freezing, but also to defrost an area that has already been exposed to it. You need to choose from two main types of such products:

self-regulating cable;
resistive cable.

Each of them has a number of advantages over the other. The first conductor functions absolutely automatically. Its design implies a different degree of heating in a certain area. This is due to how the inner layer between the veins is arranged. When the temperature is low, the resistance drops and heat increases, and vice versa. Such a wire can be laid even in an uneven area, while its performance will not suffer in any way.

The resistive cable has a constant heating temperature, so it is possible to ensure uniform heating of the entire area. It requires more attention during operation, but its cost is much lower than that of the previous option. By design, it can be with one core or with two. The second one is easier to install.

There are two main cable installation methods:

Interior. In this case, the conductor is placed directly into the pipe and, in contact with water, does not allow it to freeze.
External. The cable is located on the outer contour. For such options, a wire with a flat configuration is usually selected, since it is more difficult to damage and takes up less space.

Products have different specific power, which is also important to calculate correctly. With the first installation option, they usually stop at a value of 10 W / m. In order for the cable located outside to have the required efficiency, two basic rules must be followed:

for pipes with a diameter of up to ¾ ", a performance of 17 W / m will be required;
for diameters from ¾" to 1½" - 27 W/m.

Higher power is also available, which can reach 31 W / m, but such values \u200b\u200bare usually used to prevent damage to sewer pipes that have a diameter of 110 mm or more.

If it is decided to carry out an external laying, then proceed as follows:

In a self-regulating cable, it is important to take care of high-quality sealing of the second end. To do this, a heat shrink tube is put on it, heated with a hair dryer, and the end is tightly compressed with pliers.

Note! For a conductor with self-correcting temperature, special temperature controllers are available that are already built into the cold cable. They turn on when the lower limit reaches +5°C and turn off at +15°C All you need to do during assembly is to connect them together and plug them into a power outlet. No need to purchase additional modules.

Internal installation can also be done independently. For these purposes, all the necessary adapters are usually included with the cable. You can also easily buy them yourself. The process will be like this:

A convenient place is chosen for introducing the conductor into the pipe.
The first step is to install a tee through which the dive will be carried out.
The end of the conductor, which will be inside, must be well sealed. To do this, the upper insulation is removed by 1 cm. The shielding braid is gathered into a bundle and bitten off with the help of side cutters. A 6 cm long heat shrink tube is cut off. Half of it is put on the wire, heated with a hairdryer, and the protruding part must be compressed with pliers. A special silicone plug is put on top, and again everything is fixed with a heat-shrinkable cambric.
The conductor is passed through a retaining sleeve, a silicone seal, 2 metal washers and a clamping nut. It fits into the pipe.
The part required for connection is left on the surface.
A locking mechanism is clamped into the tee.

Heating cable entry

Video

Other ways to prevent freezing

Another method that is successfully used in areas where the temperature in winter drops below zero to not critical values. It is called the method of an umbrella or an air gap. Its essence lies in the action of physical laws. The temperature underground will always be higher than outside during the winter. In order to use this useful property, a larger diameter pipe is first laid, which will serve as a sleeve. The one that will serve as the highway is placed in it. The trench is covered with soil. The layer that remains between the two nozzles will compensate for the temperature difference and prevent freezing.

High pressure can also help out in a similar situation. The usual pressure value for a household network is 2 atmospheres. Water stops freezing at 4 atmospheres. On the pipe section, which will be located at a negative temperature, it is necessary to provide such a level. To do this, a special drive and a supercharger are installed on one of its parts. A gearbox is mounted on the other end, which will prevent damage to household appliances.

Instead of total

In order for the work on insulation or the elimination of various breakdowns to be carried out as quickly as possible, it is necessary to have an accurate plan for the location of all communications. It is advisable to start compiling it even during construction or with someone who is familiar with all the nuances of a particular house. All existing connections are applied to the drawing. Very often it is because of them that unpleasant situations occur. One drop that seeps through the joint can cause trouble.

It is better to insulate all pipes that can somehow come into contact with a negative temperature. This also applies to some basements in a private house. It is not worth sparing funds for such operations. If you save now, then later you can spend a lot of money on the complete replacement of entire sections.