Frost protection for toilet cubicle

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ConanPB

Member

• Nov 27, 2023

• #1

Building some toilet blocks for industrial lets on the farm. No heat source as such in the building itself , what would be the best way to prevent frost damage to toilets/plumbing?
Was thinking maybe insulate cubicle and install a small electric heater on a timer / thermostat. Anyone with experience of this ?

 

Paddington

Member

Location

Soggy Shropshire

• Nov 27, 2023

• #2

We have an outdoor loo in the corner of the workshop, insulated with a small floor heater on a thermostat. The electric socket on the wall can be reached from the washbasin and when sat on the loo, don't know if this is legal or not ?

 

idgni

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Armagh

• Nov 27, 2023

• #3

150w lightbulb left on all the time when frosty, or even a change fitting to a 250w heatbulb fiting

 

Lazy Sod

Member

Location

Warminster Wiltshire

• Nov 27, 2023

• #4

Don't use any copper pipe for a start.

 

C

ConanPB

Member

• Nov 27, 2023

• #5

Lazy Sod said:

Don't use any copper pipe for a start.

Click to expand...

Used plastic speed fit

 

LukeMcCullagh

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

North Yorkshire

• Nov 27, 2023

• #6

We got one of these for our utility room which is 3x2.5m and it has been doing a cracking job keeping it warm in there.

heater

I would 100% recommend it.

 

C

ConanPB

Member

• Nov 27, 2023

• #7

idgni said:

150w lightbulb left on all the time when frosty, or even a change fitting to a 250w heatbulb fiting

Click to expand...

That might just work in a small insulated area

 

C

ConanPB

Member

• Nov 27, 2023

• #8

LukeMcCullagh said:

We got one of these for our utility room which is 3x2.5m and it has been doing a cracking job keeping it warm in there.

heater

I would 100% recommend it.

Click to expand...

They look good , bit concerned about leaving the tenants to switch them on or off as it looks like the thermostat on them works at 15c and over. Will thermostats work at lower temperatures, so the heater kicks in just above freezing?

 

LukeMcCullagh

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

North Yorkshire

• Nov 27, 2023

• #9

ConanPB said:

They look good , bit concerned about leaving the tenants to switch them on or off as it looks like the thermostat on them works at 15c and over. Will thermostats work at lower temperatures, so the heater kicks in just above freezing?

Click to expand...

I think this would do what you want and the tube heater next to it are 100% waterproof for toilets and do a decent job.

Socket and tube heater

More basic one Temp

 

U

upnortheast

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Northumberland

• Nov 27, 2023

• #10

For pipework which is likely to freeze the heat trace wire is brilliant. Tape it to the pipe, cover with insulation plug in and forget.
Looks like price has gone up since we last bought some

10 Mtr Pack of Self Regulating Pipe Heat Tape c/w 13amp Plug | BN Thermic (PW-10)

 

Blue.

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Nov 27, 2023

• #11

Have a tube heater and thermostat in our office toilet,thermostat is high up near the roof to stop anyone messing with it.

 

C

ConanPB

Member

• Nov 28, 2023

• #12

upnortheast said:

For pipework which is likely to freeze the heat trace wire is brilliant. Tape it to the pipe, cover with insulation plug in and forget.
Looks like price has gone up since we last bought some

10 Mtr Pack of Self Regulating Pipe Heat Tape c/w 13amp Plug | BN Thermic (PW-10)

Click to expand...

This would work well on the supply pipe to the cubicles , thanks

 

ollie989898

Member

Location

Hanging from a twig, in a deep sleep.

• Dec 1, 2023

• #13

Insulate the fudge out of it, including the roof space would be the most obvious answer, surely?

 

U

upnortheast

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Northumberland

• Dec 1, 2023

• #14

ollie989898 said:

Insulate the fudge out of it, including the roof space would be the most obvious answer, surely?

Click to expand...

Insulation only slows the rate of heat loss. A prolonged cold spell could still result in frozen pipes, without a heat source.

 

puppet

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

sw scotland

• Dec 1, 2023

• #15

Don't heat it over 3 degrees or people are tempted to sit there reading TFF

 

U

upnortheast

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Northumberland

• Dec 2, 2023

• #16

minus 9 here a few minutes ago.
Heat trace wire has switched itself on. Nothing frozen.
Looks a bargain on a morning like this