Best Pipe Heat Cables in 2022

Last update: January 8, 2023

Can heat cable get wet?

Heat cable can get wet, but it's not recommended. Wet heat cable can lead to decreased efficiency and potential electrical hazards.

Can heat tape touch wood?

Yes, heat tape can touch wood. There are many different types of heat tape, and some are designed to be used on wood. However, it is important to read the manufacturer's instructions carefully to make sure that the heat tape is compatible with the type of wood you are using.

Can pipes freeze in one night?

Can you use heat cable on PVC?

You can use heat cable on PVC, but it is not recommended. PVC can melt and distort when exposed to high temperatures, which can cause the heat cable to break or become damaged.


Frost King HC30A Heating Cables, 30 Feet, Black Review:


I recently acquired my 12-foot Frost King, so I thought I'd put it to the test. The Background My tiny 20' Clipper and I will be in Elk Camp for ten days. At night, the temperature will drop to an average low of 15 degrees at 9500 feet, therefore I needed a technique to prevent the water lines from freezing. Having said that, I set it up for a test here in the house first because I didn't want to make any assumptions. I got my portable jump starter and set this puppy up because we're in the wilderness and I didn't want to use my generator and ruin the experience with a loud machine running all night (see Picts). An earlier Power review's estimate of 7W per foot was accurate, and it turned on and began warming up after 15 minutes under the ice packs. NOTE: The cable does not work instantly; 15 minutes of ice time were required before ANY wattage started to work. I became more and more excited as my plan began to materialize. I grabbed the kitchen meat thermometer and made the decision to test to see what temperature this cable was emitting. I'm just under 110 degrees after plugging in for 30 minutes! Now I understand why they advise against wrapping or crossing this cable since it becomes hot! I gave it five stars since it is carrying out its stated purpose. With all the conveniences of a camper, we move on to the elk camp!



HEATIT HISD 3-feet Pipe Heating with Built-in Thermostat, Black Review:


To possibly prevent exterior lengths of potable water hose from freezing, I ordered two of them in various lengths. One hose enters a valve that feeds an underground PEX line from a hose bib on the exterior of my home. The PEX is connected to a travel trailer's city water inlet at the point where it emerges from the ground using the other hose. I wanted to keep the water flowing because the travel trailer is used during the winter. Although harsh cold spells are not common where I reside in Fayetteville, North Carolina, there are occasions when the outside temperature will not get above freezing for a few days.Using specialized heating cable application tape (Easy Heat HCA 30-Foot by 1/2-Inch Cold Weather Valve and Pipe Heating Cable Application Tape), which I purchased from Amazon, I fastened this item to my hoses. I then used self-sealing exterior grade foam rubber insulation to cover the hoses and heating cable (like foam noodles that people use in pools but these are rated for outdoor pipe insulation).These cables feature plug ends with what seems to be a tiny neon bulb that illuminates to show that power has been delivered to the system. To visually confirm that power is being applied to the system, this feature is helpful. I didn't give this feature much thought when I bought these things, but I now consider it to be incredibly valuable.The past two weeks have been unusually chilly (for my location). There have been some nights with lows below 20F and a few days with highs that haven't gotten close to freezing. I must add that these items function. Water was continuously running through the hoses that were heated by this device in the travel trailer. The interior PEX plumbing in the travel trailer is not a problem because it has a gas furnace that maintains a pleasant base temperature. The outdoor supply lines, however, are using these effectively.There have been concerns raised about these items' suitability for use with flexible hoses other than copper, PVC, CPVC, etc., such as garden hoses. As of now, there have been no issues with the items' application to water hoses. My hoses are continually filled with water, as other reviews and queries have noted.



HEATIT HISD 6-feet Pipe Heating Cable with with Built-in Thermostat, Black Review:


To possibly prevent exterior lengths of potable water hose from freezing, I ordered two of them in various lengths. One hose enters a valve that feeds an underground PEX line from a hose bib on the exterior of my home. The PEX is connected to a travel trailer's city water inlet at the point where it emerges from the ground using the other hose. I wanted to keep the water flowing because the travel trailer is used during the winter. Although harsh cold spells are not common where I reside in Fayetteville, North Carolina, there are occasions when the outside temperature will not get above freezing for a few days.Using specialized heating cable application tape (Easy Heat HCA 30-Foot by 1/2-Inch Cold Weather Valve and Pipe Heating Cable Application Tape), which I purchased from Amazon, I fastened this item to my hoses. I then used self-sealing exterior grade foam rubber insulation to cover the hoses and heating cable (like foam noodles that people use in pools but these are rated for outdoor pipe insulation).These cables feature plug ends with what seems to be a tiny neon bulb that illuminates to show that power has been delivered to the system. To visually confirm that power is being applied to the system, this feature is helpful. I didn't give this feature much thought when I bought these things, but I now consider it to be incredibly valuable.The past two weeks have been unusually chilly (for my location). There have been some nights with lows below 20F and a few days with highs that haven't gotten close to freezing. I must add that these items function. Water was continuously running through the hoses that were heated by this device in the travel trailer. The interior PEX plumbing in the travel trailer is not a problem because it has a gas furnace that maintains a pleasant base temperature. The outdoor supply lines, however, are using these effectively.There have been concerns raised about these items' suitability for use with flexible hoses other than copper, PVC, CPVC, etc., such as garden hoses. As of now, there have been no issues with the items' application to water hoses. My hoses are continually filled with water, as other reviews and queries have noted.



Frost King HC6A 6 Feet Automatic Electric Heat Cable Kits, Black Review:


used to build my RV's winter water line. A 25-foot Ebonyline water hose was purchased (a regular water hose is NOT advised). The hose was wrapped in aluminum foil, heating cable was installed along the pipe, electric tape was used to secure it every six inches, and insulation made of 1/2-inch pipe foam and a plastic overwrap were used to keep moisture out. The end of the cable is attached to the brass elbow at the RV, and the thermostat is fastened to the spigot at the end of the hose. The plastic spigot insulator is then placed over the elbow (cut a hole the size of the diameter of the foam insulation through one end so the hose can go through it).However, a 1/2-3/4inch, 25 foot pipe cannot accommodate this 30 foot cable. The specification sheet states that a 3-5 foot pipe needs 3 feet, a 6-8 foot pipe needs 6 feet, a 9-11 foot pipe needs 9 feet, a 12-14 foot pipe needs 12 feet, a 15-17 foot pipe needs 15 feet, a 21-27 foot pipe needs 24 feet, and a 28-30 foot pipe needs 30 feet.Additionally, it states clearly not to use on pipes with a diameter of more than 1-1/2 inches, to cover pipes with insulation thicker than 1/2 inch, to never spiral the wire around the pipe, and to never use on plastic pipes unless they are always filled with water.



Frost King HC24A Automatic Electric Heat Cable Kits, 24ft x 120V x 7 Watts/ft, 24 Feet, Black Review:


used to build my RV's winter water line. A 25-foot Ebonyline water hose was purchased (a regular water hose is NOT advised). The hose was wrapped in aluminum foil, heating cable was installed along the pipe, electric tape was used to secure it every six inches, and insulation made of 1/2-inch pipe foam and a plastic overwrap were used to keep moisture out. The end of the cable is attached to the brass elbow at the RV, and the thermostat is fastened to the spigot at the end of the hose. The plastic spigot insulator is then placed over the elbow (cut a hole the size of the diameter of the foam insulation through one end so the hose can go through it).However, a 1/2-3/4inch, 25 foot pipe cannot accommodate this 30 foot cable. The specification sheet states that a 3-5 foot pipe needs 3 feet, a 6-8 foot pipe needs 6 feet, a 9-11 foot pipe needs 9 feet, a 12-14 foot pipe needs 12 feet, a 15-17 foot pipe needs 15 feet, a 21-27 foot pipe needs 24 feet, and a 28-30 foot pipe needs 30 feet.Additionally, it states clearly not to use on pipes with a diameter of more than 1-1/2 inches, to cover pipes with insulation thicker than 1/2 inch, to never spiral the wire around the pipe, and to never use on plastic pipes unless they are always filled with water.



Frost King HC12A Heating Cables, 12 Feet, Black Review:


used to build my RV's winter water line. A 25-foot Ebonyline water hose was purchased (a regular water hose is NOT advised). The hose was wrapped in aluminum foil, heating cable was installed along the pipe, electric tape was used to secure it every six inches, and insulation made of 1/2-inch pipe foam and a plastic overwrap were used to keep moisture out. The end of the cable is attached to the brass elbow at the RV, and the thermostat is fastened to the spigot at the end of the hose. The plastic spigot insulator is then placed over the elbow (cut a hole the size of the diameter of the foam insulation through one end so the hose can go through it).However, a 1/2-3/4inch, 25 foot pipe cannot accommodate this 30 foot cable. The specification sheet states that a 3-5 foot pipe needs 3 feet, a 6-8 foot pipe needs 6 feet, a 9-11 foot pipe needs 9 feet, a 12-14 foot pipe needs 12 feet, a 15-17 foot pipe needs 15 feet, a 21-27 foot pipe needs 24 feet, and a 28-30 foot pipe needs 30 feet.Additionally, it states clearly not to use on pipes with a diameter of more than 1-1/2 inches, to cover pipes with insulation thicker than 1/2 inch, to never spiral the wire around the pipe, and to never use on plastic pipes unless they are always filled with water.



EasyHeat 2102 Freeze Free Heating Cable - 100' Review:


I did a ton of research on various heat cable systems, and this one offered the greatest value. These are some of the things I discovered throughout my installation. Since I did not install the heat cable myself, my installer is who I am referring to when I use the pronoun "I" in this evaluation.In a vacation home in the Northern Arizona White Mountains' crawl space, I put 240 feet of this heat cable. With the help of this heat cable, I can turn off the water instead of draining the pipes, allowing me to come inside during the cold and simply turn on the water. Two observations from my installation:1. Buy the 300-foot roll of cable if your needs are roughly that length. One run may not exceed 75 feet. I had numerous 25–30 foot parts from the 100 foot roll left over that I was unable to use. For the longer runs, I set up a marker tape every 75 feet to indicate when I had reached the maximum length. I kept the runs close to 75 feet each since I wanted to reduce the amount of heat cable circuits.2. Suggest that you use high-quality electrical tape as opposed to the tape that the manufacturer suggests. In order to prevent repeatedly cutting the tape to length and save time, I wound it in a spiral.3. This heat cable is still on even though the temperature is not below freezing. We advise you to switch it off and save energy when not needed by using a thermostat plug.4. Be cautious while estimating the power requirements for the circuit. The current need for my area is 3W/ft, according to the heat cable chart. However, the in-rush current in this heat cable is substantially higher. I need a 720W (6A) at 50 degrees (3W/ft * 240ft) steady state circuit. However, the greatest cable draw for the first few minutes was 1,440W (12A), or 6W/ft. This in-rush current may be greater as the temperatures drop significantly. I'm trying it now so that come January when it gets really cold, I'll know better.4. I was able to place it under the pipe rather than wrapping it around for my installation. However, I don't see why you couldn't wrap the heat cable over both the hot and cold copper pipes in some locations when they are quite close to one another in order to facilitate installation. Where the pipes were close enough for me to do this, I did wrap the insulation around both of them.5. A monitoring tool to make sure the heat cable is functioning has been recommended by other reviewers. I made my own because I'm a little geeky, and I now monitor the temperature of each heat cable circuit. If one of the pipes approaches freezing temperatures, it sends me a warning SMS.When working in the crawl space, the installation is not simple. Electrical, a thermostat, cable installation, insulation, and remote monitoring all took a week to finish. But it's not complicated; you just have to spend a lot of time on your back in small spaces.December 2018 Update: As expected, when the 240 feet of heat cable was turned on on a chilly day, it tripped a 15A breaker. This is more than 7W/ft.October 2019 update: I built a controller that, in addition to having a thermostat, also has an 8-minute soft start feature for the heat cable. Over the winter, I'll be testing it. switching to a 20A circuit as well.



Thermwell Products HC18 Pipe Heat Cable 18 ft. Review:


used to build my RV's winter water line. A 25-foot Ebonyline water hose was purchased (a regular water hose is NOT advised). The hose was wrapped in aluminum foil, heating cable was installed along the pipe, electric tape was used to secure it every six inches, and insulation made of 1/2-inch pipe foam and a plastic overwrap were used to keep moisture out. The end of the cable is attached to the brass elbow at the RV, and the thermostat is fastened to the spigot at the end of the hose. The plastic spigot insulator is then placed over the elbow (cut a hole the size of the diameter of the foam insulation through one end so the hose can go through it).However, a 1/2-3/4inch, 25 foot pipe cannot accommodate this 30 foot cable. The specification sheet states that a 3-5 foot pipe needs 3 feet, a 6-8 foot pipe needs 6 feet, a 9-11 foot pipe needs 9 feet, a 12-14 foot pipe needs 12 feet, a 15-17 foot pipe needs 15 feet, a 21-27 foot pipe needs 24 feet, and a 28-30 foot pipe needs 30 feet.Additionally, it states clearly not to use on pipes with a diameter of more than 1-1/2 inches, to cover pipes with insulation thicker than 1/2 inch, to never spiral the wire around the pipe, and to never use on plastic pipes unless they are always filled with water.



Frost King HC3A Automatic Electric Heat Cable Kits, 3ft x 120V x 7 Watts/ft, 3 Feet, Black Review:


used to build my RV's winter water line. A 25-foot Ebonyline water hose was purchased (a regular water hose is NOT advised). The hose was wrapped in aluminum foil, heating cable was installed along the pipe, electric tape was used to secure it every six inches, and insulation made of 1/2-inch pipe foam and a plastic overwrap were used to keep moisture out. The end of the cable is attached to the brass elbow at the RV, and the thermostat is fastened to the spigot at the end of the hose. The plastic spigot insulator is then placed over the elbow (cut a hole the size of the diameter of the foam insulation through one end so the hose can go through it).However, a 1/2-3/4inch, 25 foot pipe cannot accommodate this 30 foot cable. The specification sheet states that a 3-5 foot pipe needs 3 feet, a 6-8 foot pipe needs 6 feet, a 9-11 foot pipe needs 9 feet, a 12-14 foot pipe needs 12 feet, a 15-17 foot pipe needs 15 feet, a 21-27 foot pipe needs 24 feet, and a 28-30 foot pipe needs 30 feet.Additionally, it states clearly not to use on pipes with a diameter of more than 1-1/2 inches, to cover pipes with insulation thicker than 1/2 inch, to never spiral the wire around the pipe, and to never use on plastic pipes unless they are always filled with water.



HEATIT JHSF 24-feet 120V Self Regulating Pre-assembled Pipe Heating Cable Review:


Use is rather simple. I wanted to hold off on writing a review till it got very cold up here in Maine. For a few nights, the temperature has dropped to almost 0 degrees. My finest review, in my opinion, will come after my first full winter using this. But I'd probably overlook reviewing it.I suppose I can update whenever. I take this seriously because anyone would lose their cool if their pipes froze just in time for Christmas. But everything are going well so far. I'm sure it's been chilly enough for me to be experiencing issues by now. I don't regret my purchase because the water is draining and running like it should.Although a product of this nature often doesn't last forever, high-quality heating cable ought to. These have a premium feel. And it's extremely simple to operate, and it has a reassuring light that lets you know it's absorbing power. I believe it is important to think about.UPDATE 3/13/2019: Considering we just got through another winter, I figured why not update my experience. Not to fear, more are on the way. The good news is that this device performed as expected and that I experienced no freeze-ups at all. If I ever needed to, I wouldn't think twice about purchasing another one. I simply wanted to let anyone who might be considering this product know that, in my opinion, it is worthwhile.


Can you wrap heat tape around a pipe?

Yes, you can wrap heat tape around a pipe. This is a common way to keep pipes from freezing in cold weather.

Can you wrap heat tape around PVC?

Yes, you can wrap heat tape around PVC. This will help to prevent the PVC from freezing and cracking in cold weather.

Does heat tape use a lot of electricity?

No, heat tape does not use a lot of electricity. In fact, most models are designed to use very little power, making them an economical choice for heating your home.

How do you keep your pipes from freezing without heat?

How hot do pipe heating cables get?

Pipe heating cables are designed to get hot enough to thaw frozen pipes. The cables typically range in temperature from 110 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

How long does it take for pipes to freeze in an unheated house?

If the temperatures outside are low enough, and your house is unheated, it doesn't take long for pipes to freeze. Even if the air temperature in your home is above freezing, if the temperature of the pipes gets below freezing, they can still freeze. Once pipes freeze, they can burst, which can cause serious damage to your home.