How To Insulate Water Pipes In Attic

Moving plumbing pipes from a slab to an attic.

How to insulate water pipes in attic.

I m in southern california and my pipes run through the attic single family house. Once you locate the pipes take the insulation and cut it into sections using the utility knife in order to easily slip it over the pipe. While pex does not ordinarily burst in the cold the water in the pipes can still freeze. This will help keep the product from slipping off the pipe and increases their insulating properties.

There are several strategies you can use to insulate water pipes. Pex is semi flexible. Insulating them with strips of pipe wrap using foam pipe sleeves adding wall insulation using faucet covers on outdoor spigots installing frost proof outdoor spigots insulating gaps where pipes penetrate walls. Continue this process over the entire length of piping in your attic.

For corner joints that need to be insulated cut a simulated miter joint by cutting the insulation at a 45 degree angle. When running pipe from a slab to an attic use cross linked polyethylene tubing or pex instead of copper. These foam rolls have a slit down the middle and attach to existing pipes with ease. It is important to insulate pex pipe in an attic particularly in cold weather areas.

Last summer it would take 2 3 minutes to get cold water from the tap because the attic gets so hot. Open the insulation piece at the slit and slide it over the pipe. If you have blown in insulation you could move it aside where the pipes are place cardboard tents over the pipes and then move the insulation back in place but only on top of the tents. This will allow you to slip the insulation over the pipe corner easily.

If you have insulation batts and you do the same thing then the cold water pipes will tend to stay at the temperature of the interior of your house rather than the hothouse of your attic.