Heat Trace vs Heat Tape for froze pipes

[OughtFour]

Some copper heating pipes (forced hot water) that pass through an uninsulated crawl space froze last winter. My plumber suggested heat tape.

However, heat tape seems to come with a warantee of only two years and require regular inspection. Failure, apparently, could lead to fire.

Is this accurate? Regular inspection, let alone reinstallation, would be difficult.

I have also heard of heat-trace cable that is threaded inside of pipes. Can that be right? Does anyone know their expected lifetimes of this product?

I am looking for a permanent solution or as close to it as I can get.

As see it, my options are

1) heat tape

2) heat trace cable

3) do nothing, and cope with periodic frozen (and perhaps even burst) pipes. (This actually looks better to me than reinstalling heat tape every two years.)

Any suggestions? Anything I should know?

Thanks very much.

[hallerb]

install PEX lines they are cheap and freeze resistant, run them inside a 3 or 4 inch PVC line, insulate the exterior of this so the PVC acts as a insulated conduit for the water lines, then redirect some furnace heat thru the PVC or add a heater to do just this...........

a friend did this, and hasnt had a problem in years

[OughtFour]

Thanks. That's an interesting, if unusual, approach. Can you tell me

1) Why PEX? Wouldn't copper (what I have now ) work as well or better? 2) Since I have no furnace, I'd have to "add a heater." What kind of unit could reliably provide the kind of hot air I would need? Wuuld that really be better than heat tape? 3) Would any one whop has used either heat tape or heat-trace cable be willing to share experiences?

Thanks!