boiler water line help!

So I've had a sneaking suspicion of losing heat from my water line, for quite some time now, and tonight I confirmed it, with light snow and warm temperatures, half of the snow directly above the water transfer line(to the best of my knowledge is where it's located) is melted, pretty noticeably, the line coming into the basement looks like a drain tile with two lines (return and supply) with foil wrapped around it and that's it. Which I figured from the start was not enough, my question to everyone here is what can I do?!? To make everything more efficient, is trying blown in insulation worth a shot? Do I need to dig up the line come springand replace it with non homemade line? Help!!!

 

What I've seen many times is that the tubing and insulation on the outdoor boilers is not sufficient.

This is an outdoor boiler, right?

 

Yes, I know the tubing insulation is not effective, it's buried at least a foot(I would hope) and melting snow above ground, looking for ideas on something better without digging up my yard to replace with a purpose made line, my buddy has a boiler set up with line that can run 170 degrees and not have snow melting that's sitting directly on the 6 inch tubing. So to say my line is inefficient is an understatement.

 

Hmmm, the only way I've seen this issue fixed was to dig it up, and insulate it better or run better tubing with more insulation. Heck, you might get better results running an above ground line with much better insulation until you can bury it in spring?

 

That's another thoughti suppose, only problem is it goes right under my turn around in my driveway.....this house I tell you, amazing location, (dead end next to a trout stream only one neighbor) and everything cheaped out....

 

Not a bad suggestion, I'll take any help I can get, problem is I need to stop the heat loss a lot sooner and closer, it shouldn't be melting snow that is likely over a foot above it, there's a3-4 foot wide path where you can see is completely different from the snow around it, I'll take pics tomorrow if I remember and is still visible

 

No worries, I know it would, but it's right where I often walk and drive and I'm still pumping heat into the ground, and a lot of heat at that, I'm thinking if anyone has ideas to somehow get some kind of insulation 50'from one end to the other (inside the line itself) and if it would do any good

 

Hate to say it, but I see digging in your future. Really no way around it if you really want to fix the issue right.

If the lines are currently in some type of pipe, such as a drain tile you could try injecting foam insulation into it. No sure you will get full coverage from one end to the other.

If you do replace the existing pipe, don't cheap out. Logstor is the gold standard for pex.

Flexible Systems

 

How deep is the line?

Gary

 

You don't need/want to wait till spring. Ground not frozen enough. And you don't want to heat the ground all winter. Bad news. After Christmas project? How long is the run? Make sure you know how you are going to do it right, then dig it up and get it done. Can be done in one 8 hour day with some planning. Do you know someone who is good with a backhoe or small excavator? Is there a rental shop around?

 

Spray foam injecting is what I was thinking to but how would I get it in roughly 50' is where I'm not sure, maybe buying a stiff hose and a pile of great stuff and push it all through? My buddies line is pretty much just that, 6 inch plastic line(from Sweden) with the 2 pex lines and spray foam type stuff all around it and is supposed to be the best stuff out there

 

Already heated it two years myself, plus the 8 years the previous owners had it installed I'd be willing to bet the stove runs 1 or2 extra times everyday, especially the first week when it starts to heat up the ground, the run is about 100'

 

Do it right, whenever you decide to do it. Then it will be over and done. I would think you would need to dig it all up and start from scratch. Something has to be done to keep water out. Spray foam alone won't. But I am no expert.

 

Keep water out? I've yet to have water come into the basement from that pipe(to my knowledge)

 

Y Heres a couple pics

 

No. What can happen is water from the ground goes to your trench where heat pipes are. Then your heat from pipes that are not insulated or poorly insulated transfers into the groundwater and ground. And the ground water cools water in the pipes and vice-a-versa. Which I'm sure you already know is a bad thingy.

 

The spray foam was from me, at best it's probably only 6 inches in, I put it on both ends to stop air from blowing through but you can see what's all melted from losing heat