In severe Russian winters, heated pipes are not a luxury, but a necessary necessity or a simple precaution. If the water supply or sewage system freezes, then the work on defrosting will be very difficult due to weather conditions, and the cost will be higher than for similar work in the summer period.
Modern technologies can significantly reduce and even minimize such a problem as freezing pipes. Various heating cables and films protect the plumbing and sewer from the effects of low temperatures. And the installation of temperature controllers makes it possible to create fully automated systems that will maintain the temperature within a given range.
Water pipe heating
Cable heating
This method of heating pipes is the most common. There are two methods for securing the cable: along the pipes and spiral wrap. In both cases, the heating element must be fixed. This is best done with special adhesive tapes that are not susceptible to high temperatures. For example, aluminum tape. After the cable is laid, it is necessary to make thermal insulation of the water supply. But before you do this, you should lay a layer of the screen from the foil film. This is necessary so that the heated pipes receive heat evenly. This approach allows you to increase the efficiency of the cable. And then the insulation of the water supply system itself is already carried out directly. In order for the insulation to retain its operational properties longer, it must be closed with a waterproofing film. If the water supply is laid above the surface of the earth, then it is also necessary to protect against wind and mechanical stress, for example, a wooden, plastic or metal box.
Film heating
This method has recently gained great popularity due to its characteristics. Firstly, such material is easier to mount. The film simply needs to be wrapped around the pipe and fixed with the same aluminum tape. Secondly, the efficiency of film heating is higher than cable. This is due to the fact that the film completely surrounds the water pipes, which allows for uniform heating. There is no need to do shielding in this case. The next step is to insulate the heated pipes. You also need to take care of protecting the resulting structure from moisture and mechanical stress.
Sewer pipe heating
Sewerage system pipes can be heated in the same ways as water pipes. But it should be borne in mind that the consumption of heating cable or heating film will be more significant, since the diameter of such pipes is much larger. But there is another way - laying the heating cable inside the pipe. Naturally, it is also necessary to make the insulation of the sewage system in order to reduce heat loss and increase the heating efficiency.
Quite uncomplicated work in the warm period of time allows you to make heated pipes that can easily withstand even the worst winter frosts. Water supply and sewage systems will always function normally due to the operation of an automated heating system.