Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Plumbing => Topic started by: gmviso on October 15, 2011, 06:54:19 AM
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In a previous topic we discussed how deep to bury my Thermopex. Despite the fact that the CB instructions plainly state that 8-12 inched deep is adequate, I decided to go below my frost line as suggested for the following reason.
If for whatever reason the boiler is not running, but the Thermopex has liquid in it, and a hard freeze comes along, I did not want to risk the Thermopex bursting.
So here is my dilema. What to do about the Thermopex as it exits the trench vertically to the boiler which naturally passes through the freeze zone.
Do I insulate the vertical run of Thermopex?
If so, with what, and how much insulation is enough?
If not, why not.
Thanks
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i am a believer in you can not have too much insulation. your insulation in teh ground may come in contact with water so i would use a closed cell foam (that resists water)
perhaps you could use a larger piece of plastic tile to slip over the thermopex and then fill this with foam?
no matter how much insulation you use i think if enough time passes it will freeze, but the more you have the more time you will have to fix the problem.
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Well the pipe and foam idea sounds good, but this thermopex has a terrible bend radius of like 4 feet, so probably not a realistic plan.
Thanks!
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Mine is insulated with the black split foam above ground and under ground. I foamed the ends of the corrugated that the PEX runs thru. I foame the ends to better reduce the chance of water getting into the corrugated.