Insulation Over Oestrus Record

Heat tape is a mutual solution for preventing frozen pipes in addition to keeping water flowing during cold weather condition. However, when it comes to insulating around it, at that place is a inquiry of rubber.

While insulation tin can live a valuable tool for conserving free energy as well as maintaining temperature, it must live to used correctly and safely. Homeowners can ensure their estrus tape is installed correctly past agreement the limitations of insulation over oestrus record, which depends, to a certain extent, on the type of oestrus tape.

Most manufacturers don’t recommend using insulation over heat tape equally it tin can crusade it to overheat, potentially leading to a burn gamble. It tin can also make it difficult to access the rut record for maintenance or repair.

Self-Regulating Heat Tape

How It Works

Self-regulating estrus tape is a pretty cool production that helps regulate the temperature in things similar pipes or gutters. It’s made upward of a few layers. The outer jacket, the braid, together with the inner jacket all function together to furnish mechanical as well as electric protection.

Parts and layers of a heat tape illustration

But the real magic happens inward the inner inwardness of the rut record. The heart and soul is made of a exceptional material called a conductive polymer, which tin carry electricity but besides has unique electric properties that let it to reply to changes inward temperature.

When the temperature drops, the kernel contracts, together with the cells betwixt the passenger vehicle wires come into contact with each other, completing an electrical circuit betwixt the 2 wires. The core turns into a resistive heating chemical element and generates rut every bit electricity flows through it, warming upwards the surrounding area.

On the other hand, when the temperature rises, the conductive inwardness expands, in addition to fewer cells between the wires are inwards contact alongside each other. This reduces the resistance through the wires, which generates less estrus.

So, the rut tape is able to regulate the sum of heat it generates based on the surrounding temperature, which helps continue everything at a consistent too safety temperature.

If yous are yet confused, take a wait at this Youtube video which explains it rather nicely.

Insulating Over the Tape

While non necessarily prophylactic, it is less risky to purpose insulation over self-regulating oestrus record compared to thermostat-controlled estrus record.

Some manufacturers, such as Frost King as well as Easy Heat, may even recommend using ½-inch fiberglass insulation over the estrus record inward sure applications.

Thermwell Products SP46 Fiberglass Pipe Insulation Kit

If the manufacturer does recommend using fiberglass insulation, it’sec of import to follow their instructions carefully and use the recommended thickness together with type of insulation. A vapor barrier should besides be installed to forbid wet buildup within the insulation.

It’second of import to government note that non all manufacturers recommend using fiberglass insulation alongside their heat record products.

In fact, many manufacturers explicitly land that insulation should non be laid directly over the rut tape, as this can potentially make a burn down adventure or trim back the tape’sec effectiveness.

Reasoning

As self-regulating heat tape has the power to suit the thermal output based on the surroundings, it way that if rut starts to construct upwards every bit a event of the insulation, and so the thermal output volition decrease, preventing or limiting further rut buildup.

The reason to purpose insulation inward improver to the estrus tape is for the really reason that it does let estrus to construct upwards.

When this happens, the thermal energy released from the rut record is kept where it needs to be every bit opposed to dissipating to the surround. So, free energy efficiency is improved. This is peculiarly important inward colder climates.

For case, rut record is frequently used inwards common cold climates to forestall pipes from freezing. Insulation tin aid to render additional thermal protection and forestall rut loss, which tin live specially of import inward preventing freezing.

The problem is that if the estrus builds upward likewise much as a result of too much insulation or a oestrus record malfunction, and so a fire take chances is created.

The manufacturer volition likely solely recommend insulation that is inherently burn down-resistant, merely in that location are all the same other components beneath and about the insulation that tin can be susceptible to flames.

There are likewise other concerns. Fiberglass insulation, for example, is non flammable, just it can burn or melt if the tape gets too hot.

Additionally, fiberglass insulation can release toxic fumes when burned, posing a wellness risk to those nearby.

Insulation not approved or recommended by the manufacturer mightiness non furnish adequate thermal protection together with may even trim back the tape’s effectiveness.

Watch what could pass if you function the wrong insulation over rut record or install it incorrectly.

Thermostat-Controlled Heat Tape

How It Works

Unlike self-regulating heating record, which adjusts its estrus output based on changes inwards temperature, thermostat-controlled heat record, more than ordinarily known every bit constant wattage tape, provides a consistent estrus output regardless of the surrounding environment.

The record is made of a heating chemical element, which is usually a resistance wire encased inwards an insulating fabric. The tape is and so covered alongside a protective jacket to preclude wet, chemicals, or physical abrasion damage.

One of the advantages of constant wattage heat record is that it provides a consistent sum of estrus over the entire length of the cable, regardless of the temperature or the length of the cable. This makes it easier to make up one's mind the right length as well as wattage of the record needed for a detail application.

For those who desire to continue their homes heated evenly, this heating cable tin can be advantageous. The temperature can be regulated through a thermostat or control arrangement, allowing greater command over the heating procedure.

Self-regulating rut tape is more often than not more than ordinarily used than constant wattage tape. This is because self-regulating heat record is more free energy-efficient in addition to tin can salve money on electricity bills compared to constant wattage tape.

Constant wattage record constantly draws the same sum of power regardless of the ambient temperature, making it less energy-efficient.

You must too remember to plough it on as well as off when the seasons modify, equally y'all don’t desire the record to be heated in summer in addition to potentially get-go a burn.

Insulating Over the Tape

Insulating constant wattage tape is generally considered to live more than dangerous.

Most manufacturers’ installation instructions recommend contacting them start before laying insulation. Because constant wattage record doesn’t suit its heat to the surround, the insulation you call for will vary depending on your requirements.

Reasoning

Constant wattage record tin do good from insulation because this tape tends to have a pathetic energy efficiency rating as well as/or its effectiveness tin live compromised.

Constant wattage record provides constant heat regardless of changes in the surrounding environs, such equally the outside temperature or air current.

If atmospheric condition allow more rut will be lost to the environs, the record may fight to keep the desired temperature. You will plough upward the thermostat to business relationship for this together with energy tin be lost, especially if the weather condition modify together with the thermostat does not necessitate to live and then high.

Insulation would hateful that the oestrus produced is used effectively together with efficiently.

In add-on, insulation tin come inwards handy when the weather encourage rut to rest around the record because you lot can heighten this by trapping the estrus alongside insulation as well as turning the thermostat right downwardly.

However, it is non recommended to role insulation amongst this type of heat record. It is more dangerous because the output will not adjust inward the confront of heat buildup.

Yes, you can gear up the thermostat lower to attempt together with business relationship for the activeness of the insulation, just y'all could easily misjudge this setting, install as well much insulation, or take faulty oestrus record. Any of these scenarios tin event inwards a fire.

Can You Put Spray Foam Insulation Over Heat Tape?

Spray foam insulation has a high R-value, which way it has fantabulous insulating properties too y'all entirely take a lilliputian to get a desirable outcome.

In improver, spray foam tin adjust to the shape of the surface to which it is applied in addition to create a seal around it to prevent heat loss.

Spray foam is also resistant to wet, which can protect whatever it is applied to.

All of these properties would get in ideal for use alongside rut tapes, only in that location are other properties that make it profoundly unsafe.

Spray foam insulation adheres to the surface to which it is applied. This way that in an emergency or for routine maintenance to forestall emergencies, yous would need to function actually difficult to take it as well as you may end upwards removing or at to the lowest degree damaging the oestrus record inward the procedure.

Man spraying spray foam insulation on the floor

More of import, still, is the fact that spray foam is flammable. It is not fifty-fifty supposed to be left exposed lest it comes into contact with a oestrus root. Now, if y'all become too actually spray it onto a rut root, you lot take problems.

It’second a cracking insulator, then oestrus volition make upwards chop-chop, as well as the spray foam can then ignite too acquit the burn down along the length of the oestrus record.