Winterizing Outdoor Plumbing

[Boris]

Hi,

The home is in the Sacramento, CA area. It sometimes gets down to 28-30 degrees F in the winter months. Last year I use that black spongy pipe insulation to protect my pvc supply to valve lines, and all hose bibs. This was especially difficult because the piping is tortuous, but it worked.

I'd like to find an easier way. I've seen those green batten stuffed bags used to protect large piping systems at industrial and office sites. That seem like a good way, but I can't find anyting like that that fits my needs.

Next I thought about wraping the pipe assemblies (all pipes at once, including sprinkler valves) with either bubble wrap or that thin spongy black or white sheets, and then covering with a tarp like material.

Some of the piping assemblies are large...2' x 2'.

Any comments?

TIA

[Scott Lurndal]

Generally only for a couple of hours before it warms back up. It's probably not enough to worry about, although the black foam is probably your best bet.

[Boris]

Uncle Monster wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Hi,

Basically, I did that last year, but Lowes/Home Depot had the split black foam tubing, with self-sticking stuff. I had to buy two size diameters, since my pipe sizes varied, and I also used special cold weather tape to add additional 'stick'. It all worked great, but lots of measuring and planning and cutting. This spring, I had to cut them all off. Don't want to do again, so that's why I;m looking for and easier way, such as wrapping the entire set of pipes with sheet foam.

[Boris]

[e-mail] (Scott Lurndal) wrote in news:13vNz.37901$1k2.17906 @fx38.iad:

You're probably right. The home was my dad's, and I don't remember him ever wraping pipe in the 30 years he owned the home. He passed away three years ago, and now I have the home.

My concern is that because it's not my primary home, and I live about 2 hours away and only go up there once a month or so, if there were a pipe burst, I wouldn't know, and a neighbor may not see it, depending on where the burst was.

[trader_4]

Whenever I'm away for an extended period, I shut off the main water valve as a precaution. If you have a hot water heater and no expansion tank, leave a faucet open.

[Boris]

trader_4 wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Yeah, you're right about all of that. I do have an expansion tank on the water heater..I had to install a new water heater in May, and an expansion tank was a local requirement. Anyway, there's also a pool, and the water has to be kept on to keep the filter going during the year.