How can you insulate water pipes in the ground. How to insulate a water pipe in the ground, what material is better to use. Application of heat-insulating shell

What kind of convenience is this? home plumbing! Red girls with yokes, gracefully floating down the street from a well with full buckets in the past, it is much more pleasant in chilly weather to open a tap without leaving the house and enjoy a bath / shower, and at least wash the dishes in normal conditions, and not in a basin. If there are no problems with this in the summer, but with the onset of frosts, an uninsulated, properly water supply system can make a lot of unpleasant surprises, from the loss of water (it just froze) to the rupture of pipes, then the repair costs will be very tangible. So, as in medicine, prevention is better - take care of warming in time.

What is suitable as a heater

In this article we will talk about how the water supply should be insulated in the country with our own hands. Our grandmothers used padded jackets, old blankets or sheepskin coats in this capacity. It's the 21st century in the yard, after all, so to replace old clothes came modern technologies in the form of PVC insulation materials.

With a huge selection of them, pay attention to the necessary characteristics:

• Need a material with low thermal conductivity for better heat retention.
• Must endure all adverse environmental conditions firmly and steadfastly.
• Possess water-repellent properties, because the wet material no longer protects from the cold, but, on the contrary, conducts it well.
• Not damaged or damaged by high temperatures.

If you are wondering how to insulate water pipes on the street, then this article will be useful for you. Of course, the insulation is produced with special materials. Here are the most popular and demanded options for heaters on the market.

Glass wool.

The material of such firms as Ursa, Isover, Knauf is especially popular. Often used for metal-plastic pipes. With its features - low density - it is necessary to strengthen it with the help of waterproofing in the form of roofing material, which requires additional. costs.

Styrofoam.

Most suburban option. Great for independent work for insulation, so it does not require any instructions. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor external works, in the case of outdoor use, it is better to protect it with an additional outer coating.

Basalt insulation.

A rather expensive option, although very reliable, especially if the modification is reinforced with roofing material, glassine or special. foil. It is convenient in that it is already produced in the form of cylinders, which can be easily put on pipes of any diameter.

Heat-insulating paint.

Recent novelty. It is a paste-like mass on water or varnish, which includes acrylic and special. fillers. It is applied to pipes with a sprayer. Neither high nor low temperatures affect it, and the pipes under its action are protected from corrosion. Its principle is that a thicker layer is better sewn, although a single-layer coated pipe will endure cold quite well.

If country life you started with a change house or a container block, insulate the water supply anyway, because later, when you already have a stationary house, the temporary house can be adapted for a bathhouse, and water supply is also needed there. So kill 2 birds with one stone.

How to insulate

Technologies.

All of the above materials have basically the same characteristics. The choice can be influenced only by the option of the laid water supply. Not every option will require trenching.

There are some tricks that can save the budget, for example:

• Liquid under high pressure. Suitable for a submersible pump, in a well, for example. We introduce a receiver into the system, pressurize it with a pressure of at least 5 atmospheres, and the pump already has the necessary characteristics and will support the declared water pressure.
• Air bag. Created by the above porous PVC materials. They will reliably insulate the pipes from moisture, and the air will maintain the desired temperature.
• electrical way. A cable is taken, laid parallel to the pipe in direct contact with it or even inside it, the required cable power is 10 - 20 W per r.m. With such insulation, a pipe can be buried not by 2 meters (freezing depth), but by only 50 cm. And electricity can only be used in frosty winter time.
• There are frequent power cuts in the cottages. Here's something else because of this, and your water has not yet frozen, stock up on a diesel generator that will help out and temporarily support the operation of the water supply.

Thermal insulation as protection

Above, we told you about how to properly insulate the water supply. Now we will give you a lot of interesting information.

We insulate pipes with fiberglass.

• You just need to wrap the material around the pipe and secure with plastic tape.
• Wrap roofing material on top as waterproofing.
• For internal insulation this is a great option.

And for outdoor use, it has several disadvantages:

• The second layer of roofing material on the pipe will be a costly action.
• A layer of soil on top, when filling trenches, will compress the material, which will affect its thermal insulation properties.
• And further tamping of the soil will further reduce the effectiveness of protection.
• Outside, it is best to use expanded polystyrene or basalt insulation.
• We simply put 2 halves of the corresponding diameter on the pipe.
• The halves overlap each other, and in these places we fasten them with adhesive tape.
• For corners and turns, there are shaped options, take care of purchasing them in advance.
• The last 2 examples of heaters have a low water absorption effect, no more than 2%, therefore they are extremely effective outside the home, but they can also be used in an unheated part of the house, for example, in the attic or in the cold veranda.

Cable heating of pipes.

• The pipe is glued with adhesive foil tape in a spiral.
• A cable is wound on top (bought in a store), between the turns we leave 10 - 15 cm.
• We fix it with the same tape.
• From above we fasten polystyrene foam, or something like that, we make sure that there are no gaps anywhere.
• We close everything with plumbing tape, it also performs the function of a waterproofing agent.
• The pipe can not be buried in the ground by more than 50 cm; if the procedure is carried out correctly, the water does not threaten freezing.

Finally

Here are a few very effective methods insulating plumbing for the winter. With careful observance of the above technologies and advice, your plumbing will calmly winter and will not cause you any inconvenience in the form of freezing water or pipe rupture.

For the full operation of the water supply system in winter, you need to understand how to insulate the water pipe on the street so that all communications do not freeze. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the types of heaters. And to understand the principle of work.

Requirements for insulation materials

The modern market offers a huge range of different heaters. Generally, they are suitable for outdoor and internal works. But all types of insulation for outdoor communications must meet the following requirements:

• Resistance to mechanical (static and dynamic) impact.
• Inert to humidity and low temperatures.
• Low thermal conductivity.
• Fire resistance.
• Low percentage of water absorption.
• Long service life.
• Resistant to attack by rodents.
• Do-it-yourself installation possibility.

Tip: you need to insulate pipes at the stage of plumbing. By the way, due to good insulation can significantly reduce the depth of the trench. And this is savings in the performance of work.

Types of insulation material

For water pipes in the ground, located on the street, the following types of heaters are suitable:

• Glass wool. The main advantage of this material is its high porosity. And this means that it perfectly retains heat. Unfortunately, glass wool also has a number of disadvantages. They include high level water absorption (including condensate), deformation under static loads. That is, over time, the entire insulation is compressed and will not hold heat. We'll have to carry out warming work again.

• Polyurethane foam. Easy to install, not prone to corrosion, lasts more than 10 years. Polyurethane foam can be used repeatedly. In addition, shells made of this material are easily put on a pipeline of any configuration. On sale there are shells with an internal winding of foil. They retain heat even more.

• Basalt shell (cylinders). By its properties, the material is similar to polyurethane foam. Easy to install. However, the cost of basalt insulation is much higher. But the price of the material is fully justified.

• Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene). It can also be bought in the form of mounting cylinders. The material is resistant to water, cold, deformation. Holds heat very well. Styrofoam can be used repeatedly.

• The rubber is synthetic. Represents sheets with which the pipeline is wrapped. Rubber has zero toxicity, is stretchable and is able to recover its shape. The material does not decompose. The only disadvantage of synthetic rubber is the need for an additional fixation device.

• Sprayed insulation in the form of paint or polyurethane foam. They are applied to the entire surface of the pipe and form a uniform hermetic layer that protects the pipeline from cold. The cost of such insulation will average $ 15 per linear meter.

Electrical cable

Separately, it is worth mentioning the electrical cable. It allows you to insulate the water pipe so that it does not freeze, above the ground and in the ground. The cable differs in that it is able to turn on independently already at a temperature of +3 degrees and turn off independently when the temperature drops. But subject to the installation of a thermostat. Otherwise, the self-regulating cable will pull a lot of electricity.

Electrical insulation is especially good for regions with harsh winters or for those areas where the rocky terrain does not allow laying pipes below the freezing level of the soil.

Insulation installation

The device for heaters depends on its type. So, all cylinders by the type of shell are put on the pipeline in parts. That is, the two halves are joined. It is important to place them with offset seams. This will reduce the number of cold bridges. For greater reliability, you can cover the heaters-cylinders with oilcloth from above and fix it.

If we are talking about glass wool, then the water pipes are first wrapped with such a heater, and they are also covered with roofing material on top. This is necessary, since cotton wool strongly draws water from the ground into itself and is crushed under the influence of static loads. If it is not protected from water, then insulate it will soon lose its thermal insulation properties. As an alternative solution, you can use plastic pipes larger diameter for laying in them an insulated pipeline for water. For example, it can be orange sewer pipes for outdoor work.

Tip: to protect the insulation from rodents that tend to get closer to the heat, experienced craftsmen it is recommended to coat the pipes with a mixture of cement and broken glass. Thin layer. Or wrap the communication with a special durable fine-mesh mesh.

Cable insulation

To complete the work you will need:

• Sticky mounting tape;
• Heating cable;
• Thermal relay;
• Scissors;
• Upper insulating shell (it is especially necessary for the insulation of external pipes).

The workflow looks like this:

• Stick adhesive tape (foil tape) along the pipe.
• Now start winding the cable in a spiral. The pitch of the coil should be the smaller, the lower the power of the electric cable. On average, for a cable with a power of 20 W, a coil pitch of 10-15 cm is made.
• A protective shell made of polystyrene or basalt is put on top of the pipe. It is additionally tightly wrapped with adhesive tape to prevent moisture from entering the casing. That is, with adhesive tape, you need to close all the joints of the cylinders.

Now the water supply can be buried.

Alternative ways to insulate the water supply

Sometimes masters resort to other methods to ensure that the system works even in the cold. These include high pressure insulation. That is, freezing is excluded against the background of constant circulation of water in the system. To do this, you need to implant the receiver into the system. It will build up pressure. Similar way especially good for borehole or well water supply with submersible pump. Since it is able to give pressure within 5 atmospheres. But immediately behind the pump towards the pipe, you need to mount a check valve.

For more information on how to insulate a water pipe on the street so that it does not freeze, see the video.

Write in the comments:

How do you insulate your plumbing outside?

Do-it-yourself winter plumbing in the country can be done in two ways:

• bury it so that it does not freeze (below the freezing depth);
• lay shallow, but with insulation and / or heating.

Insulation of a water supply system is an event that requires not so much money as labor - digging trenches, laying pipes, wrapping them up, throwing and compacting the soil, all this takes time and considerable effort. But the result is the presence of water in the house at any time of the year.

Laying pipes below freezing depth

It is advisable to use this method if in winter the soil freezes no deeper than 170 cm. A trench is dug from a well or well, the bottom of which is 10-20 cm below this value. Sand is added to the bottom (10-15 cm), the pipes are laid in protective cover(corrugated sleeve), then covered with earth.

This is the easiest way to do winter plumbing in the country, but it is not the best, although the cheapest. Its main drawback is that if repairs are needed, you will have to dig again, and to the full depth. And since it is difficult to determine the place of a leak with this method of laying a water pipe, there will be a lot of work.

In order to have as few repairs as possible, there should be as few pipe connections as possible. Ideally, they should not be at all. If the distance from the water source to the cottage is greater, make the connections carefully, achieving perfect tightness. It is the joints that leak most often.

The choice of material for pipes in this case is not an easy task. On the one hand, a solid mass presses from above, therefore, a strong material is needed, and this is steel. But steel laid in the ground will actively corrode, especially if the groundwater is high. The problem can be solved by well primed and painted over the entire surface of the pipes. Moreover, it is desirable to use thick-walled ones - they will last longer.

The second option is polymer or metal-polymer pipes. They are not subject to corrosion, but they must be protected from pressure - they must be placed in a protective corrugated sleeve.

One more moment. The depth of soil freezing in the region is determined over the past 10 years - its average indicators are calculated. But firstly, very cold and little snow winters occur periodically, and the ground freezes deeper. Secondly, this value is the average for the region and does not take into account the conditions of the site. Perhaps it is on your piece that freezing can be greater. All this is said to the fact that when laying pipes, it is still better to insulate them, lay sheets of polystyrene or expanded polystyrene on top, as in the photo on the right, or lay them in thermal insulation, as on the left.

Pipeline insulation

When making water supply to a private house from a well and a well, the pipeline can be laid at a very shallow depth - 40-50 cm - this is quite enough. It is only necessary to lay pipes in such a shallow trench insulated. If you want to do everything thoroughly, then lay out the bottom and sides of the trench with some kind of building material - brick or building blocks. From above everything is covered with plates.

If desired, you can fill up the soil and plant annuals - if necessary, the soil can be easily removed and free access to the pipeline is provided.

Insulation for water pipes

You can use two types of heaters:

• special energy-saving shells molded in the form of pipes, they are also called "pipe shells";
• roll material - a common insulation in the form of rolls, which is used for walls, roofs, etc.

Thermal insulation for pipes in the form of a shell is made of the following materials:

At mineral wool- glass wool and stone wool- there is one significant drawback: they are hygroscopic. When they absorb water, they lose most its thermal insulation properties. After drying, they are restored only partially. And another very unpleasant moment, if wet mineral wool freezes, after freezing it turns into dust. To prevent this from happening, these materials require careful waterproofing. If you cannot guarantee the absence of moisture, it is better to use a different material.

Heating

When planning a winter water supply, you need to keep in mind that insulation only helps to reduce heat loss, but cannot heat. And if at some point the frosts turn out to be stronger, the pipe will still freeze. Particularly problematic in this sense is the section of the pipe outlet from the underground sewer to the house, even if it is heated. All the same, the ground near the foundation is often cold, and it is in this area that problems most often arise.

If you don't want to freeze your plumbing, do pipe heating. For this, either heating plates are used - depending on the diameter of the pipes and the required heating power. Cables can be laid lengthwise or wound in a spiral.

Method of fixing the heating cable to the water pipe (the cable must not lie on the ground)

The heating cable is good for everyone, but it is not uncommon for us to have power outages for several days. What will happen to the pipeline then? Water will freeze and can burst pipes. And repair work in the midst of winter is not the most pleasant experience. Therefore, several methods are combined - and the heating cable is laid, and insulation is placed on it. This method is also optimal from the point of view of minimizing costs: under thermal insulation, the heating cable will consume a minimum of electricity.

Another way to attach the heating cable. To make electricity bills smaller, you also need to install a heat-insulating shell on top or fix a roll of thermal insulation

Laying a winter water supply in the country can be done using this type of thermal insulation, as in the video (or you can take the idea into service and do something similar with your own hands).

Winter plumbing in the country: new technologies in insulation

Eat interesting option, polymeric flexible pipe, insulated at the factory. On top of the insulation there is a layer of waterproofing, and along the pipe there is a channel for laying the heating cable. Such pipes are called non-freezing pipelines or insulated pipes. For example, even in the northern regions, it is possible to make winter water supply in a country house on the surface using ISOPROFLEX-ARCTIC pipes.

Operating temperature - up to -40°C, operating pressure - from 1.0 to 1.6 MPa, pressure pipe diameter - from 25 mm to 110 mm. Can be laid in a channel or on the surface. They are flexible, supplied in coils of the desired length, which allows us to minimize the number of joints.

Is there some more new way insulate winter plumbing in the country - liquid thermal insulation or thermal insulation paint. It can be applied to an already installed plumbing, which can be a good way out.

Do-it-yourself water supply insulation in a private house can be done in several ways - with heat-insulating materials or by laying a heating cable. There are many materials for insulation - mineral wool, polystyrene foam, foil polystyrene.

Why you need to insulate pipes

If you look at the freezing depth map, you can see that in the northern regions it reaches 2.4 meters - it is natural that digging holes of such depth in your area is too expensive. In addition, it is irrational from the point of view of supplying water from a well or a well to the house, problems will arise with the well - the pressure pipe must come out of the head and to install pumping equipment it will be necessary to dig and equip a caisson or caisson pit of very great depth. Using insulation for water pipes in the ground, you can lay a water main at a shallow depth, while saving money and increasing the ease of use and maintenance of pumping equipment.

Another advantage of insulating water pipes in the ground is saving resources. The water entering the house is heated for domestic needs and heating - it is clear that more than cold water more electricity will be needed. If the pipes are insulated from cold ground, then the cost of insulation and work over time will not only fully pay off, but will also bring significant savings.

An effective way to combat freezing of water pipelines is to use an electrical cable that is glued to the line along its entire length and lowered into the well. Placement of cable and pipeline as additional insulation in a warm shell will significantly save electricity when heating the water main.

Table of heat losses depending on the thickness of the heat insulator

Ways to insulate water pipes

If, during the underground laying of the pipeline, the depth of the line was maintained correctly and there is no danger of water freezing in this area, then when entering the house, the water supply system rises closer to the surface and enters the soil freezing zone.

After that, he enters the building and walks some distance along the basement (underground). If the rooms below the zero mark of the house are warm, then it is only necessary to isolate the underground section of the pipe rise and the input unit. Otherwise, the work on the thermal insulation device is divided into two stages:

• insulation of water pipes in the ground;
• thermal insulation of pipes of open laying in the basement.

This division is due various technologies applied for each case. The insulation of the underground laying must be rigid, moisture-proof and not attract rodents and insects. For open pipe laying in the basement of a building, the requirements are less stringent and make it easier.

The use of insulating materials

Application building materials with a low coefficient of thermal conductivity - one of the most simple ways, which is the most common when insulating pipes in the ground and on the surface. Materials can be placed around pipes or applied to their surface in the form of paint, resin or foam. The technology is widely used in the industrial sector, for the insulation of water supply and sewerage in private homes.

Heating cable for plumbing

Cable power 10-15 W (average price - 15 USD / m.p.). Excellent for heating pipes in the ground with a small depth of their placement. According to the rules, it is not advisable to place any communications in the soil below the level of soil freezing. There are situations in which this requirement is ignored. In this case, simple pipe insulation will not give the desired result, because. the pipeline will in fact be in water (in a humid environment that freezes in winter). Most of the heaters are not suitable for this mode of operation and do not provide proper thermal insulation.

The use of a cable for heating water supply provides the possibility of laying pipes at a depth of up to 500 mm.

Water pipe heating cable

The heating cable for water pipe insulation is wound along the pipe or around it with a predetermined pitch. The pitch is determined by the power of the cable. The lower the power, the smaller the step. Ways of laying the heating cable are shown in the diagram.

Wiring diagram for installing a cable for heating a water pipe

Masters and users note that the insulation of a water supply system by heating a pipe with a cable is the most reliable method to protect pipes laid in the zone of soil freezing.

Cable heating makes it possible to avoid freezing of water in the pipe, and, no less important, to quickly defrost frozen pipes. Such a need may arise in the country, if it is intended for seasonal living. In this case, you can quickly prepare the pipeline for operation, because in natural conditions you can wait for complete defrosting until May (when laying pipes at the level of soil freezing). The cable is located both inside and outside the water supply pipe.

Note. Installing temperature sensors along the cable route will make it possible to control the temperature of the cable and adjust it manually or automatically.

Pressure insulation

With the help of pressure, the water supply system is protected from freezing in main systems with underground occurrence or in unheated rooms; a special receiver is used to increase the pressure. The pressure in the system with this technique exceeds 5 atmospheres, while standard pumping equipment for organizing individual water supply is designed to work with a pressure of no more than 3 bar.

Rice. 4 Electric heating cable - appearance

This technique was developed for use in industrial and municipal engineering communication systems; in everyday life, the use of high pressure is effective in the presence of high-quality pipelines and devices designed to work with high pressure. To implement the method, it is necessary to use an electric pump to pump water into the main line at a pressure of more than 5 bar. and turn off pumping equipment - theoretically, water at such a pressure should not freeze for a very long time in the absence of owners.

Air insulation

A more expensive method that is used in the industrial and municipal sectors. When it is used underground, the line is isolated from above with a heater, and from below it is fed warm air, heating plumbing.

The method is often used when the pipeline is placed in a pipe large diameter, inside which warm air passes. This method is usually used to isolate a water main that runs along the surface; it can also be used in individual areas if the pipeline is buried in the ground - an air gap will prevent water from freezing without heating.

Requirements for the materials used

The materials used to insulate water supply pipes must have the following characteristics:

• Low thermal conductivity and the maximum possible ability to retain heat;
• Complete resistance to moisture;
• Good resistance to aggressive external factors;
• Long service life;
• Ease of installation;
• Low cost.

Compliance with all the described qualities allows us to say that the selected material is good enough for pipe insulation. However, there are no ideal heaters, so you need to choose depending on the specific operating conditions.

Insulating materials for thermal insulation of water pipes.

Mineral wool is widely used to insulate water pipes. various types, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane foam, polyethylene foam. IN Lately Increasingly, a relatively new insulation has been used - foamed rubber.

Classification of types of thermal insulation

The market for thermal insulation materials is replete with offers. Among them are time-tested options and the latest offers, which are distinguished by a higher price.

Heat-insulating paint is one of the newest means that allows you to insulate pipes with high quality, without significantly affecting their total weight and thickness.

Pipe insulation can be divided according to the type of material into the following groups:

• fibrous, including mineral wool, fiberglass. Is not the best option for water pipes, because it will require additional waterproofing;
• polyurethane foam available in solid and liquid state. This is the most popular option for plumbing insulation - both shells and liquid spraying;
• heat-insulating paint, which appeared on the market recently. It, in addition to the main function, perfectly protects metal pipes against corrosion, but is an expensive material;
• polystyrene, used as a heater less often, it is very brittle;
• foamed polyethylene, well proven due to its excellent performance and ease of installation.

Paint is a new word in the world liquid heaters. It contains special inclusions that provide excellent thermal insulation.

Thermal insulation paint is a ceramic heat insulator, inclusions are visible under the microscope, providing its unique properties

Material selection rules

When choosing a suitable material for thermal insulation of a local water supply system, one should focus primarily on the quality of the insulation. Indeed, among the proposals you can see many inexpensive options that attract the price. Here you need to carefully study the accompanying documentation and consider the appearance of the proposed product.

More often it turns out that the cheapest option will not save water pipes from freezing. Therefore, no matter how limited the budget is - the quality of the insulation is not something worth saving on.

It is better to save on laying by refusing the services of specialists. Having chosen the right insulation, all the work on its installation can be done by hand

In addition to quality, thermal insulation material must meet the following requirements:

• withstand the conditions in which he is to perform his functions;
• be simple and convenient to install if you have to install it yourself;
• have long term services and protection against rodents and other pests;
• the price should be suitable, because the prohibitively high cost is not always justified for a certain material.

Sometimes it is necessary to additionally select an option for waterproofing an insulated pipe in order to protect the material from getting wet, thus ensuring a long service life.

Most often for home use choose foamed polyethylene and polyurethane foam. These materials are not the most expensive and easy to install. They allow you to do all the work with your own hands, spending a minimum of effort - the fastenings are simple, and suitable material for fastening the parts together is offered by the manufacturer.

Mineral wool

One of the cheapest, but not the most practical insulation that can be used, including for plumbing, is mineral wool. The material is porous and reliably insulates the pipeline from the cold.

Rolled mineral wool

The disadvantage of such a heater is its high hygroscopicity, it strongly absorbs moisture, due to which thermal insulation characteristics are gradually decreasing.

During the operation of the pipeline, especially in conditions of insufficient ventilation, condensate constantly accumulates on its surface, which is successfully absorbed by mineral wool. It is for this reason that using it is not the best option.

There are several forms of mineral wool production. Almost everything is used for pipes, but it is more convenient to use the one that is made in the form of a shell for water supply.

Foil Styrofoam for Pipes

The material is made of ordinary polystyrene pipe shells, additionally wrapped in a foil coating.

Foil Styrofoam for Pipes

The foil reflects heat radiation well and does not allow cold to penetrate into the material. Insulation of an open pipeline in a private house or in the country with this material more preferably because foil polystyrene foam more reliably insulates the pipeline from the cold.

Polyurethane foam spraying

Such a heater is able to reliably protect the pipeline from the cold. The disadvantage of the method is its high cost, because you will need to pay not only the material, but also the work of the installers. It will not work to spray on the pipeline on your own. To do this, you need to have special equipment and skills to use it.

It should be borne in mind that the foam is afraid of direct sun rays, therefore, the street water supply insulated using this method must be additionally wrapped in a material that does not transmit light. We recommend roofing material, foil or other material with similar characteristics.

Foamed polyethylene

Another material that is successfully used for insulation of pipelines, including open ones, is polyethylene foam.

Foamed polyethylene for pipes

It is made in the form of tubes of various diameters and different wall thicknesses. For ease of installation, some types of tubular polyethylene foam have a longitudinal section, if there is no such section, then, if necessary, it can be easily made using a regular clerical knife.

Foamed polyethylene practically does not rot and correct installation is able to additionally protect the pipeline from moisture, tk. does not absorb water. It is possible to install foam polyethylene insulation both during the pipeline assembly process and after it is put into operation. Installation does not require special equipment or tools, it is enough to have a tape measure and a clerical knife.

Advice! For reliable insulation of a water pipe, you can wrap it in several layers of polyethylene foam insulation of various diameters.

Like the previous material, polyethylene foam can be produced with an additional coating in the form of foil or metallized film. Thermal insulation with a foil coating protects more reliably from the cold, but requires mandatory gluing with a joint using metallized adhesive tape. Compared to price, foil insulation is a little more expensive than usual.

Expanded polystyrene for pipes

The next material that is successfully used to protect pipelines from freezing is expanded polystyrene. It has a porous structure that contains a large number of air, it is for this reason that it has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity.

Expanded polystyrene for pipes

Expanded polystyrene does not absorb moisture well, so it can be used in places where there is direct contact with water.

Manufacturers produce expanded polystyrene for pipes in the form of a shell, which is put on the pipeline and fixed with a special lock or adhesive tape. It is convenient to use such a heater for a pipeline with the minimum amount turns. The fact is that the polystyrene shell for pipes practically does not bend. For this reason, for insulation corner connections, cranes and other structural elements, additional parts made of polypropylene are used, which are installed end-to-end with the main insulation and sealed with adhesive tape.

How to insulate a pipe with cold water

Consider how you can insulate a cold water pipe with your own hands. Work begins with taking measurements and choosing a heater. The length of the pipe and its diameter are measured. If you plan to use roll insulation, for example mineral wool, it is not necessary to measure the diameter of the pipeline, since this is not important. In the case of tubular insulation, the length and diameter of the pipeline are important.

In order to properly insulate the pipe, it is necessary to follow several recommendations of masters and manufacturers of thermal insulation materials:

1. There should be no uninsulated areas.
2. Throughout the pipeline, the insulation must be securely fixed.
3. Joints of thermal insulation with foil coating must be glued with metal tape.
4. If there are taps in the system, they must be completely closed with thermal insulation material.

Easy to cut insulation with an ordinary knife for paper. Tape or plastic ties are suitable for fixing. Some manufacturers, complete with insulation, supply fasteners designed to fix it, as a rule, these are plastic clips. The installation step of the fastening clips should not exceed 15 cm.

Clips for pipe insulation

If for reliable insulation it is required to make a frame (box), it can be made from boards. Wooden structure rigid and does not require additional protection against mechanical damage. You can also make a foam box, it is less durable, but additionally protects the pipeline from freezing. For fastening foam sheets to each other it is convenient to use mounting foam, in addition, it will save the structure from the penetration of cold, because. fills the gaps between the frame elements.

Installation of insulation cylinders

Mounting the "shell" insulation is simple - the required diameter of the "shell" is selected according to the diameter of the water pipe. Since the shell "consists of two halves, it remains to bury a section of the pipe on both sides, leaving 10-15 cm of open shell" to overlap it with the next cylinder. To improve the thermal insulation properties of the cylinders, a protective polyethylene film, metal or aluminum foil, roofing material or membrane heaters are applied to the shell. In any modern insulating material there are air bubbles that retain heat in the space between the pipes and the insulation.

Insulation "shell"

Cabling

Installation of an electrical cable will cost more, but the depth of the pipeline is minimal. The heating wire can be located inside or outside the pipeline; water pipes with an installed electric cable or with a cable channel for its installation are commercially available. Most often, cable installation on the surface is used, while the depth of the pipeline does not exceed 50 cm. Works on installation of a cable heater consist of the following stages:

• The pipeline at the location of the cable (in a spiral or straight line) is pasted over with foil adhesive tape.
• An electric cable is laid on the glued tape and fixed with the same adhesive tape.
• On top of the resulting structure, a shell of basalt insulation is installed, which is connected with adhesive tape. When installing the heating cable along the line, it is practical to use foam insulation with special grooves.
• To control the operation of the system, it is desirable to install temperature sensors along the water supply line.

Rice. 13 How to insulate water pipe underground electrical cable

When deciding how best to insulate a water pipe in the ground with their own hands, many prefer a foam shell - it is easy to install, has the best physical parameters and has a low cost. It is more practical to use an electric cable when water pipes and a borehole head are shallow - it can be used to simultaneously heat water in the main and well.

Protecting the insulation from negative factors

Protection against freezing of a water pipe located in the ground has its own specifics. The material should not completely or partially lose its thermal insulation properties under the influence of external factors.

Re-insulating or repairing the outer layers requires expensive and time-consuming earthworks, so care must be taken immediately to maintain the integrity of the protective structure.

Destructive impact of land and water

Underground water supply is under ground pressure, so the material used for insulation can be crushed. This can significantly increase its thermal conductivity. To prevent such a development of events, it is necessary to create a solid outer shell using pipes of a larger diameter or special trays.

Mineral wool is hygroscopic and can be crushed with a little finger force, so the earth layer compresses the material and it loses its low thermal conductivity property.

In the case of using hygroscopic materials as thermal insulation of pipelines, it is necessary to prevent the possibility of influence on them ground water, always located in the ground, regardless of the degree of water saturation of the soil.

To protect mineral and glass wool, additional means of protection are used - plastic pipes larger than water pipes, which at the same time solves the problem of crushing the insulation.

You can also use the following materials to create a waterproofing shell:

• rolled aluminum foil;
• reinforced (sanitary) adhesive tape;
• ruberoid;
• high density polyethylene film.

Styrofoam, extruded polystyrene foam poorly absorb moisture, but over time they also become unusable with constant defrosting. Foam glass, polyurethane foam, as well as heat-insulating paint are completely not subject to crushing and moisture.

Protecting objects located in the ground from moisture with the help of roofing material - a long-used, but not the most practical option

Solving the problem of insects and rodents

Another cause of damage to the insulation of the water supply can be rodents and insects. Ants gnaw through numerous passages in thermal insulation that is attractive to them, and mice use it to build a nest. These actions expose parts of the pipes, which negatively affects the quality of insulation.

Neither insects nor mice can spoil polyurethane foam, foam glass, but they do an excellent job with basalt wool. It and similar materials for external insulation of water pipes must be protected from rodents if they are located at a depth of less than 2 meters. Earth ants do not penetrate below 1 meter, while forest ants build a large anthill, the above-ground part of which cannot be overlooked.

To protect against rodents, you can wrap the insulation with a metal fine mesh. To prevent access not only to mice, but also to ants, it is necessary to wrap the material aluminum foil, reinforced with tape or use plastic pipes or trays of any shape as an outer shell.

The shell of polyurethane foam or foam glass withstands soil pressure, the effects of moisture in the ground, and cannot be damaged by rodents and insects

Video

When creating plumbing systems, a large part of the pipes are laid underground. This is true for any communications - both for the lines of housing and communal services, and for water supply systems for private houses. However, the pipeline, even if it is in the ground, needs protection from cold and excess moisture.

There are currently several current effective ways to prevent freezing of the pipe, and each of the options has a number characteristic features and properties. We will consider the most effective insulation technologies and.

1 On the relevance of pipeline insulation

Some mistakenly believe that laying water pipes in the ground is already protecting the system from frost. This is true, however, only if you dig a line to a great depth - over one and a half to two meters.

This parameter may vary depending on the region - for some (southern) soil freezing depth according to SNiP is 130 cm (for the Krasnodar Territory) for others (northern) - more than 200 cm (for the Krasnoyarsk Territory).

That is, in winter, frost penetrates to such a depth, which means that the water in the pipe will freeze - which will create significant problems. Moreover, only approximate figures are given, which may vary depending on the season - so for fidelity, at least 20-30% should be added.

Thus, the following conclusion can be drawn: in order to lay a water pipe in the ground without insulation and do it without fear that the pipes will freeze in winter, you need to dig a trench at least 2 meters deep. Excavation of such a volume - both complex, and expensive, and time-consuming, and if the line is damaged, it will take longer to get to it to carry out repair work. So it's much easier to go about a meter deep, but use a heater.

In addition to protection from the cold, the thermal insulation of the pipeline will also protect the system from moisture (however, moisture-resistant polymer materials are usually used for laying underground), and from soil displacements that occur regularly.

Insufficient quality (or even absent) insulation of the pipeline can lead to its freezing. The consequences of such a problem are very, very serious:

• the water supply to the house will stop;
• the frozen area may burst (because water expands when it freezes);
• it will be necessary to tear a trench (in winter, in frost) along the entire length of the pipeline - to find and fix the problem.

2 Methods of pipeline insulation

As mentioned above, the thermal insulation of pipes laid in the ground can be performed in several ways. Let's list them:

1. Application roll materials And .
2. The use of insulating shells.
3. The use of a heating cable.
4. The use of bulk materials.
5. The use of pipes with a large wall thickness.
6. Application of additional protection over the insulation.

Typically, pipe insulation technologies are combined - to increase the efficiency of each method. Now let's take a closer look at each of the options.

2.1 Use of roll materials

One of the most common ways to insulate water pipes laid in the ground is to wind them with rolled mineral wool materials. This material is universal, and is used not only for pipes, but also for any other structures.

Such thermal insulation is also used to protect lines passing on the surface - it is cheap, simple (if desired, you can do it yourself without any problems) and quite effective - with a large thickness of the material.

The disadvantage of the option is the weak resistance of cotton wool to moisture, like that of cotton wool - it absorbs liquid, is taken in lumps, and quickly loses its properties. To avoid such problems, mineral wool insulation is wrapped on top plastic wrap in several layers. To enhance the effect, you can also use a metal or polymer casing, which is put on pipes on top of mineral wool and polyethylene.

Consider the key stages of the application of the material:

1. The pipeline is tightly wrapped with material in several layers.
2. Over the mineral wool - wire is wound.
3. On top of the structure - polyethylene and / or a window is used.

2.2 Application of heat-insulating shell

A modern version, created specifically for the insulation of pipelines. It is a cylinder that is put on top of the pipe like a casing. It can be of two types (by design):

1. Whole.
2. Detachable - when the cylinder consists of two separable parts.

Each of the options has its own characteristics, its pros and cons. The first one is good because it has fewer seams, which means it retains heat better. The second one is more convenient, but when used, extra joints are obtained.

In fact, this is not a critical nuance: with proper installation and the use of an additional layer (polyethylene or a casing on top), such insulation will be no less effective than when using a whole cylinder.

In addition, the prefabricated shell is the only possible way if the pipeline is already assembled - in this case, putting on a one-piece cylinder simply will not work. The detachable shell has special grooves that improve the tightness and reliability of the connection.

2.3 Using a heating cable

The more expensive option on the list modern solutions With . The principle is as follows: a thin cable is wound around the pipeline, which, when turned on, heats up, giving off heat to the pipe itself. Warming of this type is a controversial method, and has a number of significant advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages include the following points:

• the ability to turn on and off the heating system;
• possibility of temperature regulation;
• significant efficiency, allowing pipes to be buried in the ground at a shallower depth.

Cons, however, no less:

• the consumption of electricity increases (and hence the payment of utility bills);
• in the absence of electricity, the system will not be able to work, which can lead to freezing of the pipe in frost.

Warming in this way is recommended only in combination with any other heat insulator. By the way, with regard to combination - the cable itself is reliable insulation and its temperature does not exceed 60-70 degrees. Thus, the insulation itself will not suffer - since the melting point of heat insulators is much higher.

2.4 Using a heating cable (video)

2.5 Use of bulk materials

The simplest, cheapest, but less effective option is to use bulk insulation:

• sand:
• perlite;
• expanded clay;
• vermiculite on .

This method is used only in combination with any of the other options - insulation with bulk materials is not effective, and alone cannot prevent the pipeline from freezing. The application of the technology is extremely simple:

1. A layer of material is poured at the bottom of the dug trench (the more, the better, of course, usually about 10-20 cm).
2. The pipe is laid and its insulation is carried out by any of the methods.
3. The system is filled with material (again - the more - the better).

It is important to pour insulation not only in depth, but also in width - so it is recommended to make the trench not too narrow. It is desirable that there is a layer of at least 10 cm of material around the pipe.

2.6 Application of pipes with large wall thickness

If insulation is planned at the design stage of the system, it is recommended to pay attention to pipes that are specially created with a larger wall thickness. They are used for laying indoors and on outdoors(also in the ground) – wherever additional frost protection is required.

The cost of such products is usually 20-50% higher (depending on the thickness, of course) than for pipes with a normal wall thickness. The effectiveness of this method can hardly be called significant, but in the aggregate, the use of such materials is still relevant. By the way, they can be performed both from metal and from various polymer compositions.

2.7 Application of additional protection over insulation

As repeatedly mentioned above - when laying pipes in the ground, it is important to use additional protection. It is necessary to protect the material from moisture, as well as from soil displacements (which occurs quite often during temperature changes).

Now the most common solutions are the following materials:

1. Polyethylene film (protects against moisture, but does not prevent the impact on the insulation during soil displacements).
2. Metal casing - cylinders made of galvanized metal, which are put on the pipe and fastened with fasteners and / or wire.
3. Polymer casings are cylinders made of polymer alloys that are put on the pipe and fastened with special latches.

Any of the materials described above can be used without problems underground without additional protection.

2.8 About the types and differences of thermal insulation (video)

2.9 Work steps

We list the complete list of works that will have to be performed when insulating a water pipe in the ground. As an example, we will consider a combination of several methods mentioned above.

The steps are:

1. A trench is dug (preferably at least to the depth of freezing of the soil) about 25-30 cm wide.
2. Expanded clay is poured at the bottom of the trench - 10 cm.
3. A polyethylene film is laid on expanded clay.
4. The pipeline is being installed.
5. A detachable heat-insulating shell (say, from foam plastic) is installed on top of the pipeline.
6. The joints between the segments of the shell are smeared with glue, after which they are tightly pressed against each other.
7. The polyethylene film is tightly wound on the insulation in several layers.
8. A wire (galvanized) is tightly wound over the film.
9. A layer of expanded clay is poured - 10 cm thick and 20 cm high.
10. The trench is being dug.