Hydrant Question

[kellyann]

We have a hydrant in the horse section of the barn. In the chicken room we have what we call the "summer tap" It runs three seasons and, until last year, freezes up all winter. The room stay just above freezing even when the temp drops below freezing but at -10C outside the tap freezes. A farmer friend of ours said last year "I'd keep that tap running all winter if I were you" . A freeze up and subsequent break in the plastic hose from the well would be a disaster, obviously. The tube seems to be heavy PVC tubing coming directly from the well to the barn and then coming up about 2' out of the ground on the south inside wall of the chicken room. We can't apply a heater cable can we? because its plastic not metal? Right now we keep it dripping all winter into a large bucket we bail twice daily.
We wondered about putting a hydrant in it's place, we never have any trouble with the horse hydrant all winter, on the same wall about fifty feet away (inside the barn). Roughly, ball park, anyone know what it would cost to put in a hydrant?
Or any other ideas. The chicken area is insulated poorly and not heated.
Thanks for any help.

 

[JimRB]

Why not wrap it with heater tape? Google water pipe heater tape and results say for metal and plastic pipe. The tape does not get boiling hot and can be thermostatically controlled.

 

[SandburRanch]

A brother of mine has had heat tape around a plastic container for years. Insulation recommended after the heat source is applied.

Heat Tape for Plumbing

 

[Billrog]

Heat tape and insulation next summer install a hydrant .

 

[turnkey4099]

We have a hydrant in the horse section of the barn. In the chicken room we have what we call the "summer tap" It runs three seasons and, until last year, freezes up all winter. The room stay just above freezing even when the temp drops below freezing but at -10C outside the tap freezes. A farmer friend of ours said last year "I'd keep that tap running all winter if I were you" . A freeze up and subsequent break in the plastic hose from the well would be a disaster, obviously. The tube seems to be heavy PVC tubing coming directly from the well to the barn and then coming up about 2' out of the ground on the south inside wall of the chicken room. We can't apply a heater cable can we? because its plastic not metal? Right now we keep it dripping all winter into a large bucket we bail twice daily.
We wondered about putting a hydrant in it's place, we never have any trouble with the horse hydrant all winter, on the same wall about fifty feet away (inside the barn). Roughly, ball park, anyone know what it would cost to put in a hydrant?
Or any other ideas. The chicken area is insulated poorly and not heated.
Thanks for any help.

Depends on what you have to do to get the piping to the hydrant. If it is just a matter of digging down the current pipe to the connection and you do it yourself - Under $100 They hydrant itself is not all that expensensive.

Harry K

 

[kellyann]

Why not wrap it with heater tape? Google water pipe heater tape and results say for metal and plastic pipe. The tape does not get boiling hot and can be thermostatically controlled.

Many thanks! I assumed that a heat tape could not go around plastic. I have a great fear of barn fire! I can do that right now.

 

[kellyann]

Thank you all!
Since buying our farm we have had the BEST advice from TByN members.

 

[Gunny]

A plumber told me years ago that when using a heat tape on plastic pipe, it's best to spray the pipe with adhesive then cover the pipe with aluminum foil then the heat tape, then insulation, then weatherproofing.\

He said the foil helps spread the warmth around the pipe better. Not sure if it's true or not, but that's the way I did the two plastic pipes I have and none have frozen yet.

 

[kellyann]

A plumber told me years ago that when using a heat tape on plastic pipe, it's best to spray the pipe with adhesive then cover the pipe with aluminum foil then the heat tape, then insulation, then weatherproofing.\

He said the foil helps spread the warmth around the pipe better. Not sure if it's true or not, but that's the way I did the two plastic pipes I have and none have frozen yet.

I have read all the advice and links. Here's a question we have:

There is about 12" of plastic hose above the cement floor of the barn then it goes down into the ground to below the frost line. We are in central Ontario, Canada. What happens to the 4' of plastic "pipe" I can't heat, below the ground/concrete floor but above the frost line? Isn't this the section most likely to freeze and split? It will be filled with water under pressure from the well pump and pressure tank.