I finally got my water system pumping without leaks. | Van Life Builds

Keith Wells · 2026-02-23T14:50:53.149248+00:00

My sink was just a jug and bowl setup until I decided to add a real pump. It took a few tries to get the connections tight, but now I have running water. Any advice for keeping it from freezing in the winter?

jade_murphy667mo ago

Honestly, heat cable sounds like overkill to me unless you're in the arctic. I'd just use the thick foam pipe insulation from the hardware store, it's way cheaper and works fine for most winters.

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cora_johnson7mo ago

Nice work fixing those leaks. What's your setup like for the pipes? Are they exposed to outside air, or running through a crawl space? I wrapped mine with electric heat cable last year, but it depends on how cold it gets where you are.

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the_gray7mo ago

Nice job sorting out the leaks, that's the worst part. Foam insulation is totally the move for most of it, that stuff is cheap and does the trick. I only bust out the heat tape for a small section that gets a brutal draft, the rest is just wrapped in the thick foam. Saves a ton on the electric bill compared to running cable on everything.

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