I feel your pain—last winter was my first as a homeowner, and I swear my pipes were laughing at me. I didn't go the hairdryer route (yet...), but I did try spray foam insulation around a drafty window and honestly, it made a noticeable difference. Haven't tackled pipes with it yet though, so now you've got me wondering if it'd hold up better than the foam sleeves. Has anyone tried combining spray foam with heat tape, or is that just asking for trouble?
Heat tape plus spray foam sounds tempting, but honestly I'd be cautious... Spray foam can trap heat tape, making it harder to inspect or replace later. Maybe stick to something removable like pipe wrap or insulation sleeves instead? Just my two cents.
Yeah, I'm with you on avoiding spray foam here. Had a buddy who did that, and when his heat tape failed mid-winter, it was a total mess to dig out and replace. Pipe wraps or sleeves def save headaches later.
"Had a buddy who did that, and when his heat tape failed mid-winter, it was a total mess to dig out and replace."
Yeah, I've seen that exact issue happen before—spray foam seems convenient at first, but it's a nightmare when something inevitably goes wrong. Pipe sleeves are definitely the way to go... saves so much hassle later on. Glad you got it sorted!
I've run into similar issues with spray foam myself—seems great until you have to troubleshoot something underneath. Pipe sleeves are definitely easier to manage long-term, but I'm curious if anyone's tried combining pipe sleeves with heat tape as a backup? Wondering if that redundancy would actually help or just complicate things further... I've seen setups both ways, but never got a clear sense of what's most reliable in harsh winters.
