Joined Dec 2003
Benevolent Dictator
Forum Thread
Tankless water heater pipe freeze prevention
December 30, 2017 at
03:41 PM
So a few years ago I built a new house. I live in the South, so the days we live under 32 degrees for any period of time are limited.
However, our forecast is for about a week with a high never breaking 30 degrees, and lows near zero.
I have a Rinnai tankless water heater on the side of my house, and I love it. Being the only guy in a house full of chicks it ensures that I always get a hot shower. Best. Invention. Ever.
But, the a few feet of pipes are exposed and are just wrapped in foam, with a metal cover for the water heater between those pipes and the freezing temperatures outside.
I need an easy solution to keep the pipes defrozenified. I bought some heat tape at Lowe's, but the shortest run was 6' and there is absolutely NO way I can get six feet of tape on those pipes.
I'm thinking maybe a 100W ceramic lizard warmer in a ceramic light sock plugged into that outlet might work. I'm open to other suggestions though, as I now some of you folks live in areas that see more days below zero than above.
Suggestions?
However, our forecast is for about a week with a high never breaking 30 degrees, and lows near zero.
I have a Rinnai tankless water heater on the side of my house, and I love it. Being the only guy in a house full of chicks it ensures that I always get a hot shower. Best. Invention. Ever.
But, the a few feet of pipes are exposed and are just wrapped in foam, with a metal cover for the water heater between those pipes and the freezing temperatures outside.
I need an easy solution to keep the pipes defrozenified. I bought some heat tape at Lowe's, but the shortest run was 6' and there is absolutely NO way I can get six feet of tape on those pipes.
I'm thinking maybe a 100W ceramic lizard warmer in a ceramic light sock plugged into that outlet might work. I'm open to other suggestions though, as I now some of you folks live in areas that see more days below zero than above.
Suggestions?
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I don't know what it needs for airflow to work, but any unneeded I'd block up a little. Also, tarp or blanket covering it to keep it out of the wind. Of course, other options would probably be better, but if I'd need something temporary like that, I'd slap something together with what I had on hand. Hotplate should work too for instance.
I don't know what it needs for airflow to work, but any unneeded I'd block up a little. Also, tarp or blanket covering it to keep it out of the wind. Of course, other options would probably be better, but if I'd need something temporary like that, I'd slap something together with what I had on hand. Hotplate should work too for instance.
I think you have the right idea with using a bulb inside the box. That would keep the water inside the heating unit from freezing as well. Putting heat tape just on the short water lines would work for those but maybe not protect the rest of the heater. I assume there are coils inside the heater that the water circulates through to be heated?
But I did find a couple of 3-foot heating cables just in case.
https://www.amazon.com/M-D-Buildi...heat+c
https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Heat-...R30VG4MGXC
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If its boxed, might be cheaper per watt to use an electric stove. Put some wood chips on top, smoke some meat.
There are some different ones here of course.
https://www.amazon.com/Allied-Pre...B000BDB4U
https://www.amazon.com/TROJAN-SPE...B002E3D1Z
You can look around online, or in Home Depot type stores, but if you want something different, this type of thing, I'd look in a Tractor Supply type store. When I last looked at them here they were about $20 in the Tractor Supply type store around this area.
-4 is the high tomorrow.