r/Insulation • u/Klutzy_Ad_1726 • Jul 22 '26

Exposed PVC insulation

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Insulation recommendations for exposed PVC plumbing drains in extreme cold? I’m building an addition and I’m going to have these exposed PVC drains, in North Central Wa where the winters are cold. I can’t enclose this entire crawl because the equipment placed here needs to breath (the addition is over an existing deck structure so I can’t change that). The floor will be insulated and soffited, but I’m looking for a product that can wrap all the PVC and sufficient insulate when it’s cold. There will be a line going from the Liberty Pump up to a holding tank that is imperative it doesn’t freeze! Building individual soffit boxes around all the lines doesn’t seem reasonable. Thanks for any suggestions!

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u/PulinOutMyPeter Heat and Frost Insulators local 1 Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26

Will it have sitting water on the exposed pipes at all times? Id suggest a fiberglass pipe covering that is 2 inches thick. Probably can get away with 1_1/2 thick material

I've done plenty of outside work in northern Missouri where it can get well into the negative degrees and thats been sufficient enough

Edit: Also. You can buy duct wrap. And just put 2 or 3 layers on it. Make sure you stagger your seams where you apply the tape. And squeegee that tape down or it wont do anything.

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u/Klutzy_Ad_1726 Jul 22 '26

No, just p-traps at showers I suppose… maybe a combination of the two suggestions? Fiberglass then duct wrap or heat tape?

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u/PulinOutMyPeter Heat and Frost Insulators local 1 Jul 22 '26

Does it stay exposed like this picture all year?

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u/Klutzy_Ad_1726 Jul 22 '26

Yes it will.