hot-waterinsulationpipeplumbing
Someone told me that pipe insulation is not necessary, rather he said it could cause more problems.
I'm under impression that he's making an excuse because he forgot to put it back.
Any inputs, anyone?
If there is no issues I'd rather have them on hot pipes to keep hot water hot.
If you dont want to run a new pipe you will need specific insulation
Notice that this insulation has a shiny outside layer. This acts as a reflection for heat, and usually has a black/dark side on the inside.
The foam/glass wool used to wrap the pipe needs not be anything special, but I am sure there are special ones that locks out heat better.. instead of the conventional one that keeps heat in.. is there a difference? I am not sure.
Look at this insulation- They wrap silver around the pipe and then insulate it. You DONT want to do this.. because this keeps the heat INSIDE the pipe, and the insualtion slows down absorption of coldness form the earth
As commented- it has no difference--inside or outside- it will deflect the heat in both cases... This is open to debate though.
So you are looking for Glass Wool Pipe Insulation with reflective outer shield
This is a very localized question. If this situation happened in Africa it would be perfectly fine to run the line straight to other house. The whole point is to have the pipes running through an area that won't freeze.
It will really be up to your local building code. You want to ask your local inspectors. I have set up plumbing for exterior garages in the midwest and I have been told between 2-3 feet deep. But I am not sure they cared that much since everything external I have done was garage related. The whole point is to get the water lines below the freeze line. I would think that the UK would have similar requirements as midwest US (maybe we are colder for longer periods).
Best Answer
Pipe insulation does not keep the water in the pipe “hot” between uses.
However, it will help keep the water “hot” while in use. That is to say, as the water travels down the uninsulated pipe, the water will loose more temperature than an insulated pipe. This may help in the sizing of your water heater.