Water Pipe insulation - how much do I need?

[tankratt]

Originally Posted by Cornerguy1

put some insulation between the pipe and the wall, and keep the temp in the basement above 32.

Well put we turn on the furnaceat night to help with that, because the wood stove heats the rest of the house all day the cellar can get rather chilly. All the pipes are exposed down there so the furnace running at night does the trick.

[mensaguy]

Our Eastport house has many exposed pipes in the basement. The boiler is down there, and there is one small heater section piped in with one of the heating zones. That seems to keep enough heat down there to prevent any freeze-ups, so we have no insulation on the pipes. My guess is that some minimal heat down there would keep everything from freezing as well as making the house more comfortable.

[BacktoNE]

We have one hot water pipe in the basement that insists on freezing when the temp reaches around -15* or worse. Fortunately this is only a 3 or 4 times a year event. Insulation. No insulation. Doesn't matter. It's in the center of the basement and the gas hot air furnace is down there, although the basment is not actually heated.

Any suggestions for that one pipe??

[GregW]

Self controlled heat tape under insulation for the chilly pipe.

My in-laws have had the stone walls of the very old (1812) part of their rebuilt farmhouse in northern NH sprayed with foam. Cost a bit but the basement does not drop below the mid 60's when the furnace is operating.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

For that one pipe, build a tent around it out of plastic tarp and put a 50 watt light bulb in there. flip the switch when it's cold out.