If you look at the picture of the box (below), you're wondering how I made the mistake to buy this, thinking I could put it in my frozen gutters? Two words: Curbside pickup. I called the manufacturer and they said they would work with Home Depot to fix the reviews. This is why some people are saying it worked one year, but not the next. But what if the icing is somewhere else along the 30 ft cable? No heat. I suppose if you put the cable in a gutter and that section of the gutter near the thermostat iced up, the thermostat would turn on. This type of thermostat will not reliably work based on air temperature. The problem is that the thermostat is like a button that needs to be held against a pipe, so it can monitor temperature and turn on and off. The packaging says this is "Water Pipe Heating Cable," not the kind of cable that can be put in a gutter to keep in unfrozen as "Electric Heat Cable"might imply. The color codes are only for convenience purposes but are built exactly the same – so they do not affect the performance of the pipes.Website description is deceiving. Red PEX pipes are used for hot water supply. Blue is for cold water lines, while white can be used for both hot and cold water. They come in red, blue, and white, and these color codes are constant across all manufacturers. Are there PEX pipes for hot water supply?ĭifferent colors of PEX pipes serve a specific purpose. Exceeding this temperature will cause the pipe to melt. While the highest temperature will differ from one manufacturer to another, 200 degrees Fahrenheit is the general limit.
Some I have used lasted 5 years and other have lasted 20 or more. Frequently Asked Questions At what temperature does a PEX pipe melt?Ĭheck for maximum temperature limits as indicated on the pipe. Heat tape as any electrical device will last reliably until the operational half life of the element is reached and that will depend on factor of use hours and condition and quality of the heat tape. It may be slightly expensive but comes with pre-attached plugs for easy installation. For a first-time installation, we recommend you buy a heat tape kit rather than raw heat tape. You can have multiple plugs depending on the size of the tape. Plugs – You attach these at the ends of the heat tape.It should allow for some degree of maneuverability for the PEX pipe to expand and contract with the temperature fluctuations. The Flexibility of the Tape – The tape should fit snuggly but not rigidly.The length of the tape should be significantly longer to cover the entirety of the PEX pipe. The packaging says this is 'Water Pipe Heating Cable,' not the kind of cable that can be put in a gutter to keep in unfrozen as 'Electric Heat Cable'might imply. Before you head to the store, measure the pipes so that you have enough tape, especially if you will be wrapping them. Per Manufacturer, this product is for pipes not gutters.
The Size of the Pipe – This will primarily determine the correct measurements of the heat tape.
Frost king heat tape install#
Tips for Using a Heat Tape on A PEX Pipeīefore you can install a heat tape on a PEX pipe, here are a few things you need to consider: Always plug the heat tape directly into a three-prong GFCI outlet. More importantly, avoid extension cords at all costs.
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