Does foam pipe cover prevent hose freeze?

[DAS26miles]

expecting temp to drop to 25 tonight. Have full hookups and usually I unhook freshwater hose and stow in heated compartment. But I see one or two using foam pipe insulation around their hoses, does it work? I have a few extra that I place on the edge of my slide out to prevent my heading my head.

[abom2]

Tried the open trickle into the kitchen sink ONCE. Cabinets open. This was due to a -10F forecast overnight and below freezing temps over the next few days.

Had heat tape and insulation on the supply line, plenty of propane for furnace. Extra batteries for FW if power was lost. Opened the spigot on kitchen sink only a slight trickle and went to bed.

Was woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of was running into a pool of water. The overnight temps did get below zero. The running water formed ice in the drain pipe. Stinky slinky 90 all the way back to the exposed drain piping on the RV.

Shut of water. Went outside. Had to use a torch to warm the connection to the RV drain pipe and slinky. Once that connection was removed I still had to use the torch to warm the drain pipe and melt the ice dam. That took quite a while.

When the ice was melted enough the plug came out and the remaining water drained out. I luckily had a second complete slinky hose and installed that. The ice plugged slinky finished melting enough about a month later to roll up and store.

Just one of many adventures in the Workamping world.

[joebedford]

Chrisatthebeach wrote:
Worked for me through 3 northern winters, even under a foot of snow.

Ultimately, in extended very cold temperatures, a foot of snow is probably a better insulator than hose wrap.

[fj12ryder]

Oooh, that could be unpleasant.

[Harvard]

fj12ryder wrote:
.......It might work if you run a slow trickle of water through the line.......

This reminds me of the morning after I first realized our bathroom vanity sink drains into our black tank. Fortunately I had emptied the black tank the night before so the water all over the floor (in the morning) was relatively not dirty.

[CabinetmakerII]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
I just fill fresh water tank.....hearted enclosed underbelly and only use hose to refill during warmer day time temps/

Sure is a lot easier then wrapping, heat taping, dealing with a stiff hose

Living this right now. Disconnected both ends of water hose after filling fresh water tank. Removed my high dollar adjustable water pressure regulator and brought it inside. Will reinstall everything next week when it warms up

[doxiemom11]

When we sat where temps routinely were getting below freezing at night, we used heat tape (don't cross the wires across each other) with the foam pipe wrap over that. It kept our pipes from freezing all winter. We started at the top of the water faucet, wrapped down around that, up the length of our hose. It had an automatic thermostat on it to shut off or turn on at 38 degrees. But --- if it's only getting below freezing for a couple hours in the early am and then above freezing during the day you shouldn't have a problem even if you do nothing. It's the long cold periods that will make it freeze.

[DutchmenSport]

Check with your neighbors, they may have a heat tape under that insulation.

[ksg5000]

wa8yxm wrote:
What I do in winter is fill on-board heated fresh tank and drain hose. unhook both ends and drain it.. Re-fill on onboard as needed.

x2 - Ain't fancy but it works - one of the reasons we have FW tanks.

[wa8yxm]

What I do in winter is fill on-board heated fresh tank and drain hose. unhook both ends and drain it.. Re-fill on onboard as needed.

[Old-Biscuit]

I just fill fresh water tank.....hearted enclosed underbelly and only use hose to refill during warmer day time temps/

Sure is a lot easier then wrapping, heat taping, dealing with a stiff hose

[WILDEBILL308]

DAS26miles wrote:
expecting temp to drop to 25 tonight. Have full hookups and usually I unhook freshwater hose and stow in heated compartment. But I see one or two using foam pipe insulation around their hoses, does it work? I have a few extra that I place on the edge of my slide out to prevent my heading my head.

Fill your water tank then disconnect and drain the hose and store like you have ben doing. I would also shut your gray water drain if it is going to be cold for a while. Water running through the sewer hose will build up ice and plug the sewer hose. Ask me how I know. It also takes a long time to get it thawed if it marginally warms up. I would also add some extra heat in the wet bay if it will be cold long. At least a 75wat regular light bulb. I have a small ceramic heater with a fan for when it gets really cold.
Bill

[Bumpyroad]

hose quick release fittings, unhook from spigot, drop hose to drain. no worries. or buy a heat tape.
bumpy

[Chrisatthebeach]

DougE wrote:
If you have a freeze of limited duration and especially if you have some water usage during the freeze the hose will likely not freeze. The insulation slows the loss of temperature but does not ultimately prevent freezing. If you want to prevent freezing for long term usage you need to put heat tape under the insulation. It is readily available at RV and Big Box Home Improvement stores.

BINGO,
Worked for me through 3 northern winters, even under a foot of snow.
Heat tape covered with pipe insulation and wrapped with electrical tape. Never had a problem. Replaced hose each year, same heat tape made it through all 3.

[beemerphile1]

Insulation will slightly extend the amount of time it takes the water to freeze, it will not prevent freezing without an added heat source.