Attic is one of those parts of the home that is not visited that often. Attic plays a key part in the overall balance of your house. It can also be used as a connecting space of the house because of its strategic position.
Today, we are going to discuss and find out whether one can run water lines in the attic or not.
Running water lines in attic
It is quite possible to run water lines in the attic. But one needs to take some precautions in order to do so. First of all, pex pipes should be used in the attic to run a water line. Because copper pipes and plastic pipes are not durable inside the attic during the winter.
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Running water lines in the attic might seem like an absurd idea if you consider the consequences. But it is not such a bad idea if you take some things into account. First of all, the attic can save you a lot of money when it comes to plumbing.
Running a water line through the attic can decrease the overall distance of the water line. This means you will need fewer pipes and fewer fitting to complete the water line. But you can not randomly select any pipe you like and run it through the attic.
You will have to be wise enough and evaluate what kind of pipe will hold well in the attic.
The attic is not a pleasant place for water pipes to be. The cold temperature of the attic during the winter can freeze the pipes. Frozen pipes can very soon start leaking water due to cracks and holes on them.
Copper pipes are not a good choice when it comes to running a water line in the attic. Because they can freeze very quickly under cold temperatures in the attic. Additionally, plastic pipes are also not durable in the attic. They have a tendency to burst in the cold temperature of the attic.
On the other hand, pex pipes can be a good option for running a water line in the attic. They are durable under drastically cold temperatures in the attic. Moreover, they do not freeze quickly and burst in the attic due to their flexibility.
But it is not wise to install pex pipes in the attic without an extra layer of protection. That extra layer of protection can be found in the form of insulation. Insulation goes a long way in protecting pex pipes in the freezing temperature of the attic.
Is it ok to run REX water lines in attic?
Pex pipes are one of the most widely used pipes in the plumbing world. There are a lot of reasons behind this. First of all, pex pipes are affordable and it will not cost you a lot to buy and install them.
Another great thing about pex pipes is that they are incredibly durable under many different circumstances. So it is no wonder that experts recommend the usage of pex pipes in many situations.
Additionally, the flexibility of pex pipes should be appreciated too. Pex pipes do not bend under pressure and stay good for a long time. It is believed by experts that you can use pex pipes to run water lines in the attic.
The changing temperature of the attic can be handled by pex pipes due to their durability.
It is also noticed that pex pipes perform better in the attic when they are insulated. The insulation protects both the pex pipes and the water inside them. However, even without insulation, water lines installed with pex pipes will hold up well in the attic.
Pex pipes are capable of dealing with the changing temperatures of the attic. Thus, we can say that it is ok to run pex water lines in the attic.
Will water pipes in my attic freeze?
It is believed by experts that water pipes in the attic can freeze due to cold temperature. That is why it is important to select the correct type of pipe to run water lines in the attic. For example, both metal pipes and plastic pipes are more prone to freezing in the attic.
On the other hand, pex pipes can be a good solution when it comes to running water lines in the attic.
But even pex pipes can freeze in the attic when the temperature gets too low. That is when insulation can come in handy. Insulating the water pipes in the attic can protect them from freezing. Freezing water pipes in the attic are susceptible to damage.
They can even develop leaks and holes which will ruin the water lines in the attic.
So metal pipes and plastic pipes installed inside the attic will definitely freeze when the winter comes. The best solution to this problem can be installing pex pipes instead with foam insulation.
This will ensure the overall longevity of the water pipes in the attic and protect them from any leaks.
Do water lines in the attic need to be insulated?
According to experts, the water lines in the attic have to be insulated. Even many national and international building codes state that you have to insulate the water pipes running through your attic.
Because the attic is unprotected against changing temperatures and not insulating the water pipes will mean that the pipes are defenseless against freezing temperatures.
If you install water pipes in the attic without insulation, then the water pipes will not take time to start leaking due to cracks and holes on them. The freezing temperature of winter can literally freeze the pipes in the attic and create leaks and holes on them.
The insulation will save the pipes against cold temperatures. It is no wonder that pipes installed with insulation last longer in the attic than those pipes which have not been insulated. The insulation process will not cost you much money and time.
But it will definitely prolong the lifetime of the water lines in the attic.
How to run a water line in the attic?
Running a water line in the attic might seem like a difficult task if you have no prior experience. However, there are some steps and methods you can follow to accomplish the task. Let’s discuss them in detail.
Choose the right pipe:
The first thing you need to do when it comes to running a water line in the attic is choose the right type of pipe. You will need to take all the consequences into consideration before selecting a pipe for the attic.
First of all, you will have to keep in mind the freezing temperature of the attic during winter.
Copper pipes and plastic pipes are known for freezing under cold temperatures. So you should not select copper or plastic pipes to run a water line in the attic.
It is believed by experts that pex pipes perform well in the attic due to their adaptability and flexibility. Selecting pex pipes will also save you a bit of money due to their easy installation process needing less materials.
Start the installation process:
Next, you will need to start installing the pex pipes inside the attic. The most important thing to remember here is that you will have to take the safest route possible into the attic. If it means going through the inside of the wall, then you will need to do that too.
Exposed pex pipes can be susceptible to damage and need protection both inside and outside the attic.
Pex pipes are quite flexible and they will not require a lot of fittings for the installation process. The correct fittings will ensure that there are no gaps between the pex pipes inside the attic.
Start the insulation process:
You will need to provide protection for the installed pex pipes in the next step. The best form of protection for pex pipes in the attic is insulation. Foam insulation has been known for being effective against freezing temperature in the attic.
The attic is not an easy place for the pex pipes to survive without insulation. Insulation can go a long way in protecting the pex pipes against all the odds in the attic. It is no wonder that most of the experts approve the idea of insulating pex pipes in the attic.
It guarantees the longevity of the water line in the attic.
Secure the attic:
You can even try to secure the attic by repairing the holes and cracks in it. It is believed by experts that the cracks and the holes in the attic can harm the pex pipes.
So it is a good idea to insulate the attic as well as the pex pipes for further protection against cold temperatures.
Final Thoughts
Water lines can be run through the attic by following the correct steps. Insulation can protect the water lines in the attic from freezing temperatures. But one should only put pex pipes in the attic due to their durability and flexibility. Other types of pipes will not hold well in the attic.