heat tracer and insulating wrap on pex

[creekside]

I am going to wrap two 1/2" pexes together with a heat tracer and then an insulating wrap. Is it okay to wrap them together and which goes first, the tracer next to the pipe and then the insulating wrap. Someone mention the heat tracer is too hot. My view is, the insulating wrap would disallow the heat from the wire tracer to penetrate to keep the water in the line from freezing. Do tracers come in different watts? How do I know which one to buy here in Ontario Canada. Damp cold winter as opposed to dry.

[Greg]

There may a language variation here, but I am going to assume that you are talking about heat tape. I personally have not heard that you CAN'T wrap two lines at once, but I haven't heard that you can either. You may want to contact the manufacturer to get a firm answer.

The tape goes on first, then the insulation wrap.

Greg

[flcruising]

That's what I was thinking of too Greg...

creekside - Your first sentence describes wrapping the heat tape around two pipes then insulating. But 'your view' seems to indicate that you are picturing the heat tape going on top of the insulation...? As Greg described, the insulation goes around the pipe and the tape. Also, most tapes don't get wrapped, but simply run alongside the pipe. Some manufacturers even ask that aluminum foil be wrapped around the pipe before applying the tape so the heat can spread more consistently. The wattage is in linear feet, therefore the total is based on the length of pipe you have to protect. Some have thermostats, which I recommend since you won't have to remember to turn it on/off. If you follow the manufacturer's installation instructions, you can't go wrong.

[Greg]

Most do have thermostats now, but I added a switch with a pilot light so I can turn it off from under the sink.

Greg