I'm off grid using a garden hose for running water. Would it be okay for me to wrap fiberglass insulation around the garden hose to hopefully prevent it from freezing this winter? I plan on putting the wrapped hose in PVC pipe and burying it also. I'm just unsure if the fiberglass will damage my hose and cause more problems than I'm trying to prevent.
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If you burry a PVC pipe below the frost line that would work– DIY75Commented Oct 16, 2023 at 20:57
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2Fiberglass should not damage the hose, but if temperatures get low enough it might not prevent freezing. Water pipes should be buried below the local frost line. Insulated pipes/hoses also take longer to unfreeze. Insulation slows heat loss, does not prevent it.– crip659Commented Oct 16, 2023 at 20:58
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Fiberglass insulation soaked in water will not provide any insulation. A closed cell spray foam could work, but you'll never get the hose out of there. If you drilled a hole in the pvc every couple of feet, then you could use cans of spray foam to fill it up. I would be worried about the expansion pressure constricting the hose, however. Bury it below the frost line. There are trench digging machines that you can rent, although it takes a great big one to get to my frost line in USDA zone 6. starrentals.com/product/trencher-walk-behind-36-/115197, for instance.– pophamCommented Oct 16, 2023 at 21:28
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1It won't work, unless you happen to have gravity-fed water you can leave running all the time without impacting your limited off-grid power.– EcnerwalCommented Oct 16, 2023 at 22:16
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Also, you should make sure your hose is sold as as a potable water hose. Regular water hoses can contain heavy metals.– UnhandledExcepSeanCommented Oct 17, 2023 at 1:13
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2 Answers
Remember that insulation just slows heat transfer in or out. It doesn't stop it. If all that is protecting the pipe is insulation, still water will eventually freeze.
Running water may not. Water supply pipes run below the frost line, which means the water starts out above freezing before it comes into your house. If the line is running, that may be replacing chilled water with warmer water fast enough to keep it safe. But you don't generally run a garden hose all winter. Or bury it so it too is below the frost line.
Basically, if you expect freezing temperatures most garden hoses really, really want to be drained.
There are a few minor exceptions. Some soaker hoses may essentially drain themselves. Leaving them out unprotected all winter is not usually recommended, but I've gotten away with it.
The type and method of water line insulation will depend on your location and the frost line.
Here it is shown in inches of depth needed.
source: Frost line
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While this is useful information, it doesn't answer the OPs question.– FreeManCommented Oct 22, 2023 at 11:39