heat tracing well water line in vermont

[Mike9]

We had a waterline going out to our barn/apts. go one very cold winter. Everyone was standing around passing ideas around and I came up with running a temporary line over ground for the winter. I got a lot of funny looks till I laid it out. 3/4" line wrapped in insulation, heat tape and placed in a 4" casing. We used it till the frost came out of the ground and they purchased it from me after the line was excavated and repaired.

 

[PILOON]

Width of your insulation board "shield" is important, otherwise heat will go around it. I think a foot wide would be marginal.

I agree. For that reason I ordered 4 ft wide insulation so that I could cut into 16" strips whenever I used this technique to insulate water lines.
If $$'s were not a concern I'd even go 24" and 2" thick in pink or blue. (never white as it retains water)