What material is not suitable for warming a water pipe in a trench

In order to understand what exactly should not be used as thermal insulation of a water supply system, we will analyze in what places the water supply system should be insulated. We will not consider the central branch, but take a branch to a private house.

What should be insulated

Both the entry point itself and the water supply from the central branch need thermal insulation. Sometimes, it is necessary to insulate the internal part of the water supply if it passes through an unheated room. How and with what to insulate the upper, above-ground pipes, the question is not worth it, in a situation if the material will not cope well it is quite easy to replace. But what is suitable for isolating the underground part is worth knowing for sure not to sit without water every winter, and not to dig a trench in the spring.

Than it is not necessary to warm

The water supply is laid below the level of freezing of the soil, and if there is a need for insulation, then the pipes are above this level. This means that standing water in a plastic pipe can freeze. Winters are different, residents use water of varying degrees of intensity, so the pipe must be insulated. Not every thermal insulation material is suitable for this:

1. Putting a fur coat on the pipe, remember that the material should not absorb moisture from the surrounding soil. As soon as the thermal insulation is damp, it will cease to fulfill its functions. If you decide to use something like mineral wool, then it is imperative to wrap the pipe in the insulation with waterproofing material. It can be roofing material or dense polyethylene. This is a very troublesome thing, and the insulation is not very reliable.
2. Another problem arises if you wrap the pipes with soft material. When backfilling, the thickness of the insulation layer is greatly reduced under the weight of the soil. And if the pressure will be exerted for more than one year... The result, the insulation layer has become thinner, the water in the pipe froze, we dig a trench. Try ramming backfill - speed up the compression process.

What to apply for thermal insulation

Qualitatively insulate the water pipes will help new technologies:

1. If the material allows, then you can lay a heating cable next to the pipe. You can do such work yourself. Water pipes are available for sale complete with a heating cable or with a cable channel for a heating installation.
2. A more budgetary option is thermal insulation with half-cylinders or shells made of polystyrene foam. The material practically does not absorb water, the coefficient of water absorption is less than 2%. Isolation is mounted using tape or wire. The material has rigidity and does not deform when backfilling.