Protecting water pipes from freezing is the
best investment a homeowner can make!

Freezing pipes will burst

One of the most important things you need to do as a homeowner is to insulate pipes that pass through unavoidably cold spaces like crawl spaces and attics.  A quick way to measure a pipe’s diameter, is by closing an adjustable wrench down onto the pipe gently, (do not put any extra pressure on the jaws of the wrench), then measure the span of the wrench jaws.  Measure the length of pipes to be insulated so you know how many linear feet of insulation to buy.

When visiting your Santa Cruz plumbing supply or home improvement center, buy self-sealing side-slit foam tubes for pipes, according to your measurement of the pipe diameter.  You should cut double, 45-degree notches with a scissors to turn corners.  Seal all slits and joints that are not self-adhering with foil tape.

Irregular pipe joints

For irregular and jointed pipes, use fiberglass strip insulation secured with foil tape.  Wind the insulation in an overlapping spiral.  The tape should not compress the fiberglass too tightly and should form a continuous vapor seal.  This will protect your pipes from freezing and it will also serve the purpose of preventing condensation on the pipes in the summer.

Contact your local Santa Cruz plumbing expert for more information.