Frozen Water Pipe

[SALL2009]

I am doing up a house and this morning when I went to the house. The water to the upstairs bathroom and anything that feeds off it had stopped (frozen). Once the heating was on for a while, everything started working fine.

I think it was caused because of the bath waste pipe hole (it’s bigger than what it should be and not cemented) and the water pipe run right next to it. I have filled the hole with some insulation.

I’m wondering, can I wrap some Rockwool insulation around the copper pipes? There is not enough room for that thick grey stuff to go around it.

And secondly, the pipes run over the ceiling of the single story kitchen. Should these pipes be insulated? They were there when I bought the house in summer this year. And they didn’t have any pipe lagging or insulation. Any recommendations will be appreciated.

 

[expertgasman]

I've a feelin you actually know the answer.

 

[dennyboy]

If the house is empty in these temps I'd drain it down every night while your working in there

 

[John506]

If your pipes are freezing mate try to lag every pipe you can.

Alternatively there is something called trace heating which prevents your pipes from freezing, I guess google will be your best bet on that.

 

[Gasman77]

Leave the heating on overnight?

 

[Corgigrouch]

Insulating the pipes will help but if there is no heat in the house, then they will eventually freeze.... Heating on and plug up that gap under the bath.. Had a custard last Winter who thought he'd save a few bob by turning off his heating for a month.... The icicles from the ceiling were really pretty and the shattered toilet cictern was a nice touch....

 

[SALL2009]

I do turn the heating on everyday when I go there. But obviously heating is turned on at night. Well the heating has been off since 5:30 yesterday, will see how it is today.
It's not a matter of cost about lagging the pipes above the kitchen, only issue is, I will have to break the plaster board of the ceiling.

Can someone tell me if rockwool insulation be wrapped on copper pipes?