Insulating inaccessible pipes...

[Magic Man]

The pipes in our bathroom are behind a tiled wall, the space they occupy is an overhang and basically a tiny loft crawl space (it's a dormber style house). There is only partial lagging on the cold pipe as far as I can make out.

We've never had an issue all the time we've had the house (15 years) but, with the recent cold weather, I decided to put a thermometer probe in there (through a hole one of the pipes comes in through) to monitor the temperature. Lowest I've seen is just over 5 degrees.

Now, we've never had an issue but, simply knowing how cold it does get in there, it's now playing on my mind and I find myself constantly checking in case it gets any colder - I'm worried pipes could potentially freeze etc.

My options are limited without tearing down the tiled wall. I've seen pipe trace heating but there is only a couple of inches of the two pipes exposed - are there any clamp on pipe heaters available that would warm the pipes - similar to the pipe freezes but working the other way?

I can get very limited access by taking the bath panel off but since I'm not 6 inches wide, I'm unable to get anything other than an arm into the space and then only from that one side. Was contemplating rigging up a light and webcam to get a view into the space and then somehow filling the area up with loft insulation over the pipes etc. - blowing it in, pushing it in with some sort of flexible pole etc. etc.

Alternatively, my last real hope I suppose is to get a roofy in and get at the space from the outside by removing the tiles and felt.

Any other ideas? E.g. trained rats to pull the stuff in, tiny little plumber able to fit in there etc.?

 

[Brigadier]

you could always get a drain rod and some loft roll insulation, and bodge it in and around....

As for the light and webcam idea, I've always found a digital camera to be pretty good - just stick your arm in, take the photo (put the flash on!), then check the screen afterwards. And repeat, as necessary. Much less of a faff

 

[newbuildinstaller]

expanding foam? just fill it ha ha

 

[JohnD]

Modern pipe lagging comes in a stiff plastic foam tube that can be slit down the side. If the pipes have not got many clips on, you can use this foam pipe lagging, fit it round the pipe and apply tape to prevent it coming off, then push the lagging so it slides down the pipe, tape it again, push it some more, etc. I pushed some about ten feet recently. It tends to come off at bends, or where it hits an obstruction. Most DIY sheds sell it in one-metre lenghtns, but a builders or plumbers merchant wil have it in two or three metre lengths. Use the thickest you can. The regulation grade is as thick as your arm.


You can also push loft insulation into the gap, but this is very hit and miss. It will tend to bunch up and tear and have gaps that you can't see.

 

[Magic Man]

Thanks all, might try a combination...

Of course, if I'd never thought to check the temperature in there then I'd have never known and would be worry free - we've had plenty of cold nights in 15 years and it's never been a problem so far...

 

[tryitandsee]

As long as you don't insulate it so well, no heat from the room gets to it. Probably the only reason that you have never had a problem, is because heat from the room is escaping into the area the pipes are located If that makes sense.