I would like some advice on Insulating a 15mm copper pipe which is to be installed in my loft to feed a new shower.
Currently it uses 10mm copper pipe I believe but this is insufficient for the new 9Kw higher power electric shower.
I'm thinking about -19C temperatures and the effect on the pipe in the loft.
The water supply enters in the kitchen below the bathroom and goes through the walls to the toilet and then into a cupboard up the inside of what was a hot water tank space which now houses the condensing boiler. The pipe then goes up into the loft.
There is a shut off valve but I don't want to have to rely on it, draining the water from the shower is a problem.
My property is a mid terrace with no fines concrete walls, however it has recently been externally insulated with 60mm Kingspan insulation which is maintaining the internal temperature much better. Incidentally, the cold water pipes from the kitchen run close to the floor of the bathroom, run on mountings about 15-20mm from the outside wall (South-Westerly). Some of this is not externally insulated because there are tiles on the external wall with thermalite style blocks instead of no fines concrete. This will affect the temperature of the water in the pipe to the shower. The old shower did start to freeze up during that -19C winter which caused a leak and that is why I have had to replace it. The part costs over £60 and therefore it's not worth replacing for such an old shower which is totally inadequate anyway at 7.2Kw.
Therefore, what would be best to do?
I thought about maybe fitting the pipe as close to the plasterboard ceiling as possible and then insulating on top and hope for the best (pray it doesn't freeze). However I doubt that this would protect the pipe in the event of extreme cold.
I also thought about an electric thermostat powering a heating cable with a switch and temperature controller. Switch it on when the outside temperature is freezing and let it regulate the pipe temperature itself. Switching it off when it's not required during the summer etc. I need to employ and electrician to wire the shower so could have this done at the same time.
Recommendations and any links to products would be appreciated.
Currently it uses 10mm copper pipe I believe but this is insufficient for the new 9Kw higher power electric shower.
I'm thinking about -19C temperatures and the effect on the pipe in the loft.
The water supply enters in the kitchen below the bathroom and goes through the walls to the toilet and then into a cupboard up the inside of what was a hot water tank space which now houses the condensing boiler. The pipe then goes up into the loft.
There is a shut off valve but I don't want to have to rely on it, draining the water from the shower is a problem.
My property is a mid terrace with no fines concrete walls, however it has recently been externally insulated with 60mm Kingspan insulation which is maintaining the internal temperature much better. Incidentally, the cold water pipes from the kitchen run close to the floor of the bathroom, run on mountings about 15-20mm from the outside wall (South-Westerly). Some of this is not externally insulated because there are tiles on the external wall with thermalite style blocks instead of no fines concrete. This will affect the temperature of the water in the pipe to the shower. The old shower did start to freeze up during that -19C winter which caused a leak and that is why I have had to replace it. The part costs over £60 and therefore it's not worth replacing for such an old shower which is totally inadequate anyway at 7.2Kw.
Therefore, what would be best to do?
I thought about maybe fitting the pipe as close to the plasterboard ceiling as possible and then insulating on top and hope for the best (pray it doesn't freeze). However I doubt that this would protect the pipe in the event of extreme cold.
I also thought about an electric thermostat powering a heating cable with a switch and temperature controller. Switch it on when the outside temperature is freezing and let it regulate the pipe temperature itself. Switching it off when it's not required during the summer etc. I need to employ and electrician to wire the shower so could have this done at the same time.
Recommendations and any links to products would be appreciated.