After my other post about freezing pipes, I am now open to heat tape... although still pretty reserved about using it.

1. Anyone ever have any damage or fires due to heat tape? (Properly Installed?)

2. Anyone know of any good brands? OR, any to stay away from?

3. What do I need to make sure it's safe for PVC ? Near my pressure tank there is some metal, and some PVC. I don't want to melt the PVC with the heat tape, or the hot metal pipe. This is the important area to keep warm too.

Anyone have any opinion of this stuff:
http://www.amazon.com/M-D-Building-Produ...985&sr=1-13

I want something that will turn on at 33* and turn off at 36 or so... if that's possible. Not sure how these "Thermostats" work, if they are adjustable or not. I just don't feel the need to run the thing the whole time and waste $$$/electricity.

Share what you know about heat tape with me

I tried heat tape on the line from my well to the water pump maybe ten years ago. Mixed results, until I wrapped the line in light insulation.

Then I heard news stories about heat tape fires (involving rated heat tape, properly installed) so I unplugged it. Surprise surprise, the insulated line didn't freeze. Seems like the small amount of heat in the water I bring up is enough to keep the line open. (I did have to heavily insulate the thin pressure tube that leads to the pressure switch; that was the first point of trouble.)

Again, keep in mind the "fire stories" are at least a decade old. Hopefully standards/construction have improved.

But if you can use insulation and ground heat energy, that's the simplest and cheapest route.

I need to do the line to the pressure switch for sure I had to thaw that two times last week.

Maybe just insulating my pump house, that line, and putting a heat lamp in there I`ll be ok.

I did see a on @ 35F and off @ 45F plug too.. but I`m not sure a heat lamp can raise the pump house 10* within a reasonable time. If so then the sensor + heat lamp may be all I need

At least all these options are affordable!

FWIW, on the pressure switch line, I used a chunk of that blown-foam insulation used for 1/2" water pipes and sealed the slit with electrical tape. Totally low tech, off the shelf, cost me less than a buck. It works perfectly.

Is yours inside or outdoors, what kind of temps does that switch line experience where you are ?? (I`m guessing a lot colder than here)

When I hear people having these discussions about heat tape and heat lamps and such, I wonder what is planned when the weather is cold and the power goes out?

Sue

Mine is in my basement, sort, of, with the well head and pump inside a concrete-capped "crypt" that extends beyond the house.

Previously, if I closed the door to that room, it could freeze when the outside temps got ugly. Hence the pressure-switch-line insulation.

Recently I added a cold porch above the whole works, giving a shielded and insulated entryway to the whole house. I doubt freezing would be an issue now. I have my potatoes and onions in cold storage in the same room. It's held at +5C or greater through our current cold snap.

A neighbour has a stand-alone well shed. Even though it's well insulated, he keeps a heater on the "frost watch" setting just in case, and for good reason. IMO he could insulate a second box over the piping and that would suffice. But it's none of my business.

I monitored my basement temps our last storm as I thought the pipes in there could be freezing... it never got below 40. Our basement is half finished, and about 75% of the walls are insulated with a concrete floor in 1/2 of it. I did notice it gets much colder if I use the fire place vent under the fireplace, so next year I think I may plumb that outside with a couple tiny holes to help circulate but not COMPLETELY drain my basement of air.

Sue - For us 'if' we go any type of electric it`ll be secondary to a beefed up insulated room.