Frozen pipes.

[GuestD]

After a few comments made in other posts regarding frozen pipes, here's something I've used to good effect in previous homes during severe weather. Electric soil heater cable taped along vulnerable water pipes, the one pictured is 20 Meters and the power consumption is low, so in power cuts, a small generator will keep things going.

You can get them off Amazon. Obviously you do this sort of thing entirely at your own risk.

 

[TLM]

Here we can buy piping with the heater cable installed, handy if one knows the need in advance. Often one does.

 

[GuestD]

Here we can buy piping with the heater cable installed, handy if one knows the need in advance. Often one does.

As long as mains power was available, I had mine rigged to a thermostat so it switched on automatically when the temperature dropped low. If I was going to be away from home over extended periods then I drained the entire system to avoid any problems. Whoever installed the system must have been "switched on" because it had been put in so this was easily done, including the back boiler in the stove. Filling it was a simple job of leaving the drain screw open and turning the water back on until it filled up.

 

[Woody girl]

Wish this had been available in the 70s for the mobile home I lived in then. One bad winter despite lagging pipes to the max and leaving the gas central heating on low while we visited family for Xmas we came home after 3 days to burst pipes and sodden carpets. Nasty!
This might have saved us a fortune in repairs.

 

[Alan De Enfield]

Wish this had been available in the 70s for the mobile home I lived in then. One bad winter despite lagging pipes to the max and leaving the gas central heating on low while we visited family for Xmas we came home after 3 days to burst pipes and sodden carpets. Nasty!
This might have saved us a fortune in repairs.

It was certainly available mid 70's onwards as the company I worked for manufactured it. We supplied it to the greenhouse industry as a soil warming cable to allow them to bring their fruit / veg to market several weeks earlier that 'outside' planting.

 

[GuestD]

It was certainly available mid 70's onwards as the company I worked for manufactured it. We supplied it to the greenhouse industry as a soil warming cable to allow them to bring their fruit / veg to market several weeks earlier that 'outside' planting.

Yes, I first saw it for putting round home brew bear kits, then someone told me you could get longer stuff for greenhouses.

 

[Alan De Enfield]

Yes, I first saw it for putting round home brew bear kits, then someone told me you could get longer stuff for greenhouses.

Brewing Bears sounds a bit dangerous, particularly if you keep them warm as that is when they are most active.

 

[GuestD]

Brewing Bears sounds a bit dangerous, particularly if you keep them warm as that is when they are most active.

I merely mentioned it, not as anything to do with brewing, but how I found out about heat strips. Here's the home brew one,

 

[Alan De Enfield]

I merely mentioned it, not as anything to do with brewing, but how I found out about heat strips. Here's the home brew one,

You did say brewing BEARS …………………………...

 

[GuestD]

You did say brewing BEARS …………………………...

Ouch, haha.

I forgot to fact check my smell check, sorry, spell check.