Cheap isolation against freezing pipes in winter? Have a question, guys...

GeneCo...@gmail.com

unread,

Oct 10, 2008, 10:11:49 AM10/10/08

to

Hi guys,

I checked the prices of foil bag house isolation recently in stores
and found them rather pricey.

I was thinking of stuffing newspapers in plastic bags and taping it in
the inside of the house on cold walls in order to isolate my home that
way. Did anybody of you do that in the past? Did it work? Did you had
an effective defense against freezing pipes?

How about the toilet tank? Any ideas to protect it from freezing?

Thanks in advance,

Gene

Ron Peterson

unread,

Oct 10, 2008, 1:51:31 PM10/10/08

to

On Oct 10, 9:11 am, GeneCook2...@gmail.com wrote:

> I was thinking of stuffing newspapers in plastic bags and taping it in
> the inside of the house on cold walls in order to isolate my home that
> way. Did anybody of you do that in the past? Did it work? Did you had
> an effective defense against freezing pipes?

There is heat tape which gets wrapped around your lines and when
plugged in keeps your pipes from freezing.

--
Ron

Al Bundy

unread,

Oct 10, 2008, 9:11:15 PM10/10/08

to

You really need to say more about what areas you are trying to
insulate. Also, what is the temperature zone and how much heat is
there normally for living purposes? For example, if there is no heat
at all in a freezing zone, water will eventually freeze. You will need
something active like the heat tape. If you are just taking about
insulation in general, the price of cellulose insulation is quite
cheap. That product is treated with fire retardant and mildew
protection and so on. You would be better off to use such a product
even if you needed to place that in bags to secure it rather than used
newspaper, which it is made from.
You might be more successful by adding more detail and posting it on
one of the home repair groups.

A "That One"

unread,

Oct 15, 2008, 10:51:34 AM10/15/08

to

In article
<56ca52d1-4e97-4dcc...@j22g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>,
Ron Peterson <r...@shell.core.com> wrote:

did you know the hot water pipes freeze first?
--
Money; What a concept !

meow...@care2.com

unread,

Oct 30, 2008, 2:57:07 PM10/30/08

to

Cardboard is as cheap as wall insulation gets. More than one layer is
better of course. For greater levels of insulation, empty 2" deep
boxes (eg biscuits, dry catfood etc) can be stuck to the wall and
plasterboarded over to create an insulating cavity.

NT

webs...@cox.net

unread,

Nov 1, 2008, 12:50:48 AM11/1/08

to

On Oct 15, 7:51 am, "A \"That One\"" <georgewks...@humboldt1.com>
wrote:

> did you know the hot water pipes freeze first?

I am aware that a given volume of boiling water will freeze faster
than the same volume of cold water. This is due to the density
difference being great enough that there is substantially less mass of
hot water in that volume, and it will cool down more quickly.

However, hot water pipes? If the water shrinks as it cools, more
water is pulled into the pipes from the rest of the system (assuming
the pipes don't have air bubbles in them). So the mass in a given
length of pipe would increase as the water cools.

Are you confused, or am I missing something?

clams_casino

unread,

Nov 1, 2008, 6:02:23 AM11/1/08

to

webs...@cox.net wrote:

Hot water will freeze at a faster rate, but it takes longer to freeze.
(rate being degrees-to-cool / time)