Can heat tape be used to keep long run of pipe warm?

[Rmay635703]

I live in an 1800’s era home with a corporate absentee landlord.

After they replaced the water heater and galvanized steel hot water line the shower only gets luke warm even with the water heater set to max, been mentioned but not worth pushing (my rent goes up any time something is repaired)

Years ago I found heat tape that passively regulated to about 90f and was tempted to wrap the long length of copper/steel cold water line going to the shower with this tape. The cold water is 40-55 F and it would take about 3 hours at the rated output of the tape to get warmed up. The 45’ run of pipe equates to a 5-10 minute shower.

Sadly most heat tapes only state a 2-3 year lifespan

Heating cord has a thermostat that prevents activating above a certain temperature which won’t work.

Not sure if there is anything that would survive and keep a pipe warmed year round.

I would still need to waste hot water at the sink but having warmer cold water would dramatically increase the shower temperature.

 

[eljefino]

Is there maybe an electric shower head attachment you could use? They have them in developing countries.

 

[Rmay635703]

Is there maybe an electric shower head attachment you could use? They have them in developing countries.

TEMU special?

Brings up the thought that the light is directly above the shower, time for a 350 watt infrared led light, lol.

 

[Kira]

My experience with "heat tape" was less than impressive. I suppose it didn't fail....wasn't my house.
It seemed the heat tape was designed to keep pipes from freezing/bursting only.

Perhaps wrapping the pipe with foil then split swimming pool noodles for its entire length and a final foil outer layer would get you where you need to be.

I have the remainder of a foil broad tape used to splice and repair foil lined/covered ducts.
I could mail you a sample but not the roll as postage would be too dear.

edit: Get a laser thermometer. Get a helper and gather some data.
Ambient temp, temp at each end, rate of rise

 

[BobsArmory]

Lowes Home Depot etc have "swimming pool noodle" pipe insulation that is already split. They even have insulation for the elbows that you just pop over the pipe. Cheap and they work wonders.

 

[BigCahuna]

Use real foam pipe insulation, it will work better than a pool noodle.,,,

 

[Cujet]

It sounds like your water heater has some form of temperature limit that results in inadequate hot water. In the old days, it was possible to remove those limiters. Today's digital controls may need a bit more work...

Sometimes rentals limit water temp to 120 by code, to prevent scalding. Unfortunately, that's not really healthy as there are various forms of bacteria that can thrive in the luke-warm water heater's water. 140ºF or above is required to kill Legionella.

Got a pic to share?

 

[Rmay635703]

Use real foam pipe insulation, it will work better than a pool noodle.,,,

I have actual pipe insulation on the hot water pipes .

The real issue (I assume) is that the hot water pressure is much lower than the cold.

The cold water getting near freezing directly out of the ground in the winter doesn’t help and “insulation “ on the cold makes it worse.

When the cold water is around 70F in the summer the shower is much nicer, when it’s closer to 33F not so much.

Because the cold water line to the shower is a mile long heating it even to 60F will make the shower much nicer.

Due to the non-existent landlord and the fact it’s a rental a reversible solution is best

 

[Nukeman7]

If the shower water temperature never gets above lukewarm temperature, there is something wrong with the water heater (e.g., thermostat or one heating element is defective) or it is grossly undersized like a 25 gallon unit in a 5,000 sq.ft. home. Unless the pipe run is hundreds of feet between the water heater and the bathroom, the hot water capacity won't be depleted by the time it reaches the shower.

 

[WobblyElvis]

I bought a gas water heater about 10 years ago and found that the temp dial would not go above about 120F. I pulled off the plastic temp dial and found a tab on the back of the dial that was hitting part of the metal temp regulator. I broke off the tab and re-installed. It then allowed the dial to be rotated up to a much higher temp.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Sounds like there’s probably a thermal mixing valve somewhere that’s set much too low.

When the shower does finally get warm, how long of a shower can you take before it gets cold?

 

[facility1]

install some heat tape from tank outlet gradually winding around pipe to the end, then use black foam insulating pipe cover & carefully covering ells valves etc , put in a plug in timer connected to the heat tape that is adjusted to your specific shower times.

 

[hemitom]

Sounds like there’s probably a thermal mixing valve somewhere that’s set much too low.

When the shower does finally get warm, how long of a shower can you take before it gets cold?

This right here mixing valve is set to low.
Post a pic of the tank where the water lines connect to the tank so we can verify if it has a mixing valve.
I had an issue where my mixing valve was stuck on cold it mixed very little hot water so constant cold water draw from hot water tap.

 

[Rmay635703]

Sounds like there’s probably a thermal mixing valve somewhere that’s set much too low.

When the shower does finally get warm, how long of a shower can you take before it gets cold?

The kitchen sink gets burning hot and steamy, not sure what temp.

The bathroom sink can get quite hot but takes 5-10 minutes to do so, the water pressure at the sink is higher for cold than hot.

Unless the ancient shower has a mixing valve itself I don’t think it’s a mixing valve issue but the shower is a dial one that never truly shuts off the cold, old fashioned hot cold knobs would surely solve the issue

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Unless the ancient shower has a mixing valve itself I don’t think it’s a mixing valve issue but the shower is a dial one that never truly shuts off the cold, old fashioned hot cold knobs would surely solve the issue

Well the more detail you give, the more likely it sounds…
I certainly don’t know what the code would be, but it seems possible that a mixing valve could be installed close to the shower to prevent scalding; normally it’s at the HWH so it protects the entire house, but technically it could bypass the sinks.
The fact that the sink gets hot and that they’re probably on the same hot water line would mean the only other issue would be the hot water line at the shower is partially plugged or the valve isn’t opening all the way (based on you said it doesn’t have as much pressure).

 

[Nukeman7]

The kitchen sink gets burning hot and steamy, not sure what temp.

The bathroom sink can get quite hot but takes 5-10 minutes to do so, the water pressure at the sink is higher for cold than hot.

Unless the ancient shower has a mixing valve itself I don’t think it’s a mixing valve issue but the shower is a dial one that never truly shuts off the cold, old fashioned hot cold knobs would surely solve the issue

Depending on the brand/age/style of the shower valve, it may have an internal anti-scald valve that limits the maximum hot water temperature for safety reasons. Here is a video that shows how to adjust one made by Delta. Other brands like Moen, Kohler and Price Pfister also offer them.

 

[rekit]

If low flow on hot line, for whatever reason, maybe a booster pump on that line. Not the cold one. Put it on a timer or switch. If the water is really hot at the sink, it is hot enough for the shower and if insulated the temp drop of the hot run should not be much. Can you check the hot only temp at the shower? If not close to the sink temp you have cold mixing in somewhere. How long to fill a qt of cold vs hot? That will give you an idea of your flow rates. Smaller diameter hot lines reduce the wait for hot time, but gives you lower flow rates. It's a tradeoff. I hate the one handle faucets, they are wasteful. When you go to places that have them they are almost always in the mid position. People wasting hot water w/o even knowing it.

 

[k1xv]

I always thought that the use of heat tape was to keep water from freezing in a pipe that had no flow for long periods of time. It will not significantly heat water flowing through a pipe to a shower. And the purpose of pipe insulation is to prevent heat loss into the basement or room which you do not choose to heat.

If the water temperature at your shower head is too low even after you let it run for a while, the water heater is set at too low a temperature for a comfortable shower.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I always thought that the use of heat tape was to keep water from freezing in a pipe that had no flow for long periods of time. It will not significantly heat water flowing through a pipe to a shower. And the purpose of pipe insulation is to prevent heat loss into the basement or room which you do not choose to heat.

If the water temperature at your shower head is too low even after you let it run for a while, the water heater is set at too low a temperature for a comfortable shower.

You are exactly right. There are a range of products sold at most industrial supply outlets known as "heat tracing." Electrical , thermo controlled or pre set temp heat tracing is for installation directly onto pipes that need to be protected from freezing. Pipes that for some reason do not have continous flow but still can not be taken out of service or drained during extreme cold weather. The stuff is tapped, wrapped or tied onto pipe that then must be insulated really well for it to be effective. In some really extreme weather conditions that is still not even enough to prevent pipe damage from freezing. The electrical "heat tracing" product is not designed to heat water for hot water uses.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I live in an 1800’s era home with a corporate absentee landlord.

After they replaced the water heater and galvanized steel hot water line the shower only gets luke warm even with the water heater set to max, been mentioned but not worth pushing (my rent goes up any time something is repaired)

Years ago I found heat tape that passively regulated to about 90f and was tempted to wrap the long length of copper/steel cold water line going to the shower with this tape. The cold water is 40-55 F and it would take about 3 hours at the rated output of the tape to get warmed up. The 45’ run of pipe equates to a 5-10 minute shower.

Sadly most heat tapes only state a 2-3 year lifespan

Heating cord has a thermostat that prevents activating above a certain temperature which won’t work.

Not sure if there is anything that would survive and keep a pipe warmed year round.

I would still need to waste hot water at the sink but having warmer cold water would dramatically increase the shower temperature.

Is this shower water line run outside and seperate from the other hot water outlets inside home for some reason? If the line is inside the house the length is the least of the issue it would seem. Reasons could be from undersized capacity heater , too low a heater setting (to satisfy safety code) or a mixing valve at shower or some place along hot water line could have been set to hot minimum when installed.
I am not aware of many , if any hot water lines that would have a mixing valve some place other than at an outlet location such as a shower? Maybe there is and somone can enlighten us all on that?