They probably ran the heat pipe through the garage because it was easier to
install.

I said, "insulating a pipe in an unconditioned space will not mean it can't
freeze." I do think that insulation gives people a false sense of security.
I've heard the argument many times that "my pipes can't freeze, because they
are insulated".

Insulation make things retain heat longer, but not forever. If you leave for
work, and the heat goes off, that pipe could freeze in a matter of hours,
while the house might still be well above freezing. Do yourself a favor and
put an electric heat tape on it. After that, you can wrap it with insulation
specially designed for use with a heat tape.



"Shaun Eli" wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks. I don't have any cold water lines running through the garage,
only this one heating pipe (which could have been run a different way,
not through the garage-- I don't know why it was placed where it was).

It's copper, by the way.

I don't understand, though, why I'm being told NOT to insulate it-- if
the water in the pipe starts to get cold because the heat's off then
won't insulating it make it take LONGER to freeze? Won't the
insulation keep the cold away from the pipe? That's WHY I want to
insulate it-- to keep the pipe warmer. In other words, to prevent heat
loss from the pipe into the garage.

And when I said that the concrete block can't freeze, I didn't mean it
can't get cold, simply that there's nothing that will turn to ice. Of
course it can get cold-- presumably close to the same as the outside
temperature.

I don't need to heat the garage.

My question was whether there's a problem putting fiberglass insulation
up against a hot water heating pipe.

-Shaun