GMCAMARO
Well-known member
My heater is in the attic of my garage and last week it was zero(F) degrees in the evening, everything froze. Is it necessary and safe to run heat tape, when it's that cold?
Condensation Trap question
- Thread starter GMCAMARO
- Start date
comp
Well-known member
so the heater quit ?? sorry but what is the condsation trap for 
comp
Well-known member
Oh so the drain froze ,, not the whole garage lol,,, i would think it would work,, not sure about the thermostat placement without seeing the set-up
Junkman
Well-known member
Insulate the line better, and unless you are in a hard freeze area, I think that you shouldn't have a problem. You need to keep the wind off the pipe to keep it from freezing. Last week it was -17 most of the night, and my bathroom toilet water line that is in the attic never froze. In past years it had, but a few winters ago, I covered it better with insulation, and no more problem..
jklingel
Well-known member
We run heat tapes all the time, below grade and inside buildings, but it is a good idea to plug them into a special receptacle (I forget the name) that is made just for heat tapes. They are "GFIs" for heat tapes. Heat tapes only draw about 3-5 watts per foot, so I can't imagine them being a real fire hazard if it is cool... assuming they don't short out, and I think that it what the special receptacle is for.
rickairmedic
Well-known member
The code reads that a condensing gas furnace should not be installed in an unconditioned air space ( attic,crawl space ,cellar . I know locally this code can be gotten around only if a vent is placed close to the furnace in question thereby making that area a conditioned air space but it is still frowned upon.The condensate drain isnt the only concerne the secondary heat exchanger can also freeze and crack leading to carbon monoxide problems.
Rick
Rick
HoosierBuddy
Well-known member
It got down to 3 here, and the condensate line on my boiler also froze in the wall. I have 6-inch fiberglass batts, and evidently I insulated it so well that the I caused the problem.
Luckily, I have an overflow for the condensate line that allows it to run inside onto the garage floor.
Unfortunately, that means there's a bunch of water on my garage floor.
Fortunately I have floor drains.
I had the garage heat set at 40-degrees. I think that might have been a lot of the problem.
Phil
Luckily, I have an overflow for the condensate line that allows it to run inside onto the garage floor.
Unfortunately, that means there's a bunch of water on my garage floor.
Fortunately I have floor drains.
I had the garage heat set at 40-degrees. I think that might have been a lot of the problem.
Phil
comp
Well-known member
so setting it at 45 may be Ok ?