How to install a cable for heating pipes: the choice and

26-08-2018
Pipes

Many owners of private cottages faced with such a nuisance, like freezing of water in the plumbing system. In addition to the banal inability to use plumbing devices, this can lead to a break in the engineering network and the need for repairs, the price of which sometimes reaches the cost of installing a new system.

Avoid this will help self-regulating cable for heating pipes inside and other similar systems, this material is devoted to the features of the choice and installation of which.

The heating cable is an effective system for ensuring the operation of the pipeline in winter

The benefits of using electricity

The cable for heating pipelines has many undeniable advantages and allows you to solve several problems at once:

  1. Water flowing in the pipes will not freeze at negative ambient temperatures.
  2. A self-regulating system maintains the desired fluid temperature no matter how extreme the external conditions are.
  3. A thick liquid (oil, and so on) will not stagnate and be stuck in the pipeline system.
  4. The cable for heating sewer pipes allows to avoid crystallization inside the drain system of solid fractions.
  5. If the hot piping is heated, the water will not cool down on the way from the heater to the consumer.
  6. Viscous liquids under the influence of low temperature do not thicken and do not form traffic jams.
  7. A heating cable for plumbing inside the pipe allows for a continuous and constant flow of fluid.
  8. No ice will form on the outer edge of the parts and moisture will condense.
  9. High-quality heat cable for heating pipes allows you to mount external engineering networks at a shallow depth, which reduces the complexity and cost of the work.
  10. Heated pipes are not damaged during the winter period due to the formation of ice inside the system and rupture from linear expansion.
Photo of the installed electrical cable for heating water supply

Note! The use of an electrical cable is one of the most effective ways to heat pipelines, especially when you do all the work yourself. Instructions for its installation is simple and does not require the use of special devices and additional materials.

Methods for heating pipes with electricity

Outdoor cable

This method is widely distributed due to its low cost and ease of installation. Its essence lies in the fact that along all the pipes, without exception, a special heating cable is laid.

In addition, you can simply wrap it around. Both methods are equally effective, it all depends on your personal preferences.

All cable systems consist of the following elements:

  • magnetic automatic starters, which are installed in a special junction box;
  • special aluminum tape needed to insulate the electrical cable;
  • a material with a low thermal conductivity with which the pipes are isolated from the external environment;
  • directly cable;
  • thermostat that will automatically set the desired power system.
External cable installation for heating

Note! If you have purchased a special resistive cable for arranging the heating system, you do not need to install the thermostat. Self-regulating system will maintain the desired temperature independently.

Before installing the cable for heating the water pipe, it is necessary to correctly calculate the required length and power.

Thus it is necessary to take into account such moments:

  • the diameter of the water or sewer pipe;
  • the depth of the outer sections of the pipeline in the ground;
  • total length of engineering networks;
  • climatic conditions of the area where we are working on insulation;
  • thermal conductivity coefficient of the used insulating material.

The principle here is simple: the thicker the pipe and the thinner the insulation, the more powerful the cable you will need.

During installation, it is recommended to follow these tips:

  1. The cable during installation must be firmly pressed to the edge of the pipe and secured with aluminum tape.
  2. Under no circumstances should the cable be crossed.. In addition, ensure that the insulating layer is not disturbed during installation.
  3. If you use a self-regulating cable, the previous rule can be ignored.. It can not burn out, because the safety rules allow the intersection of adjacent turns with each other.
  4. The pipes are insulated with mineral wool or other suitable material.. If necessary, you should also take care of waterproofing.
  5. Do not forget to attach the thermal sensor. It is also attached to the pipe with aluminum tape.
Ready system

Tip! If you install the heating cable in the winter, it can become inelastic and hard to bend. In this case, it is recommended to connect it to the power supply for a few minutes. After warming up it will again become flexible, which will facilitate installation.

Thermofilm

Unlike the previous version, a special film is used here. It is wound on a plumbing or sewage pipe, after which it is installed the heat insulating and waterproofing material.

The method allows to obtain a more uniform heating and effective distribution of thermal energy over the entire surface. In addition, the film is cheap and easy to install.

It just needs to be wound on a pipe and secured with adhesive tape. All work is easily carried out independently.

Thermofilm for heating pipes

Internal cable

It is possible to install the heating element not only outside, but also inside the pipes. This method is more complex installation process, but its effectiveness is quite high.

The main scope of application - heating valves and pressure pumps installed on the street or in unheated rooms.

To maintain the desired mode of operation, conventional switches or high-tech controllers can be used.

Advantages of using an internal heating cable:

  • allows you to more accurately adjust the power, which reduces the cost of paying for electricity;
  • effectively heats specific areas of the water supply network.
Installation scheme of the internal heating cable

Conclusion

No need to neglect the insulation of water and sewer systems, if you intend to use them throughout the year. Once you install a heating cable for pipes, you will be relieved of the annual hassle of repairing damaged areas.

More details about the installation of various engineering networks can be found in the video in this article.