FROZEN UP

[Bob & Lee]

Not to bad, night before last it was -2 in Fountain CO the only thing that froze was the line from the shower to the bathroom sink so everything else worked.GOOD Now the bad part, got up and no water in the entire rig. so I tryed the pump and had water.. my heat tape on the main water hose quit and froze hard as a rock, thawing now and putting on new tape. snow again tonight. only two years old need to check for warranty.(dreaming)


BOB

[rak]

Glad to here that no damage was done due to frozen line.
Dick

[Bob & Lee]

I have the hose here at work and am puting a new heat tape on as soon as it thaws and is bendable. now that it need rebilt what is the type of insulation everyone is using around the hose and heat tape the last time I used the regular foam pipe wrap. Is there a better thing to use?

[rrheik]

Bob and Lee, glad no major damage. Hopefully, the cold front will pass and you will get thawed out. We are lucky in Tucson, only 30 degrees at night, so no freezing problems. Take care.

bob

[8.1al]

WOW, 2 below? How did you stay warm? I believe Steve Riegle uses the foam pipe insulation on his. As long as there are no gaps in the insulation and the heat tape works you should be ok.

[stiles watson]

Excuse the ignorance, but having lived on the Texas Gulf Coast most of my life, I don't really know what heat tape is. I have a good idea, but have never actually seen the stuff. Please describe for me.

[Bob & Lee]

Here is the basic operation of the tape, a must when I cant go south yet.

http://www.mygreathome.com/fix-it_guide/heat_tape.htm

[noneck]

Make sure you get the good stuff....self regulating to prevent a fire.
http://www.deanbennett.com/wintergar...ape-prices.htm
Chuck

[VanMan]

The "umbilical cords" I've seen for folks staying put all winter were heat tape (wrapped around the hose), then the foam pipe insulation, then either the yellow roll insulation wrapped around that or a larger size foam, then all that well wrapped with duct tape. It's VERY fat !!

[Glenn and Lorraine]

When we lived in our stick house in northern NY I had all that heat tape and foam insulation stuff. When the temps hit 30 to 40 below you absolutely needed it and than some. Since buying the Monty I have discovered a simpler way. I throw all that heat tape and related stuff in the trash and am now spending them freezing months in SUNNY and WARM Florida. Works for me.





Yeah I know I'm rubbing it in but sometimes I just can't resist.

[Joyce H]

Glenn, I just knew you would be jumping in here...LOL We too now spend winters below the freeze line, but do still use heat tape for some of the pipes in our vacation house in WV. Bob, sounds like the Monty did well in those brrrrrrrrrrrrrr temps.

[rvfirefighter]

I use heat tape and rubber foam insulation that they wrap air-cond. pipes with, more durable than the cheap foam insulation.
Also a thought, use metal hoses, designed for washing machines, will handle expansion.

I have heard people with regular hoses have had problems using heat tape. Their hoses busted due to heat and expansion.

[sreigle]

David, my heat taped water hose went three winters without problem. I now have a new one, a shorter one, as I didn't need all that length (25 foot on the old one) and decided it's easier to carry one ten foot heat taped and wrapped hose than a 25 footer.

That's not to say it will never happen to me, however. I like that black foam rubber, too. That's what I put on this one but the old one had the cheap stuff.

[Bob & Lee]

Well all is well and water running again, no leaks. was unable to fing the rubber pipe insulation so I used the cheap foam ones and bought the all weather duct tape and wraped it if it dosent last Ill get the rubber ones.

Bob

[rvfirefighter]

I have a regular hose, I have not had any problems, hope I don't, it was 22 degrees this morning and getting colder tonight. I do not want to do many repairs in this kind of water. I filled my fresh water tank in case I have any problems. If that tank freezes, I am hooking up and heading south.

[sreigle]

David, it was 11 here last night and 9 tonight. Guaranteed to freeze unprotected hoses.

While it's not all that big a deal to remove a water hose and let it thaw, keep in mind you stand a more than passing chance of popping the park's water bib, too. And that might set you back some coin if they insist you pay to fix it. I'd suggest disconnecting your water hose when a hard freeze is expected and use the onboard water. Or heat tape a hose if you plan to be there awhile.