# Heated water hoses



## Tall1 (Aug 3, 2009)

I'm completely new to the travel trailer scene. Are heated water supply hoses needed in a Houston area winter, or will pipe insulation on them suffice? Thanks in advance.


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## jrome72 (Jul 5, 2011)

Pipe insulation is all you'll need in Houston


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## Tall1 (Aug 3, 2009)

Thanks jrome72. That's the route I'm going to try.


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## Tuff (Nov 29, 2011)

Most likely you won't even need the pipe insulation. If you are living full time in your RV, there will be at least one day that your hose will freeze - yes, even in Houston. You will survive using your fresh water tank for one day. 

To be on the safe side, build your own heated hose. I built mine with a 35 ft hose from Walmart (the dark blue one), a hose heat tape from Home Depot, 9 sticks rubber foam pipe insulation from home depot, aluminum foil, and electrical tape. Total investment - ~$85. I made it using quality parts and I don't have to worry if I got a bad product from an RV supply house.

Wrap the hose with aluminum foil and then apply the heat tape over the foil, cover with the foam pipe insulation and secure with electrical tape. Although zip ties would be easier, you don't want to use them - they are not flexible like the electrical tape. The tape promotes the elasticity of the hose and other parts of the assembly for physical movement, temperature, water pressure, etc.

Before you apply the heat tape, decide which end of the hose will be close to electricity. I chose the supply end on my set up. I plug the heat tape into the extension cord with an old fashioned trouble light (incandescent bulb). I put the light next to the spigot riser and cover with a plastic tub to keep the riser from freezing.


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## Hunter11 (Jun 26, 2008)

We have a 25 ft Camco heated water hose for Winter. When needed I have it plugged into an Easy Heat cable controller that comes on at 38* and goes off at 50*. We have used it for two years now in temps down to the mid teens and it works great. And it is made in the USA.


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## BobBobber (Aug 29, 2015)

We live in RV park in Conroe. Four days last winter were risky. We have heat tape wrapped around the water hose with closed cell plumber split foam tubes. The expense of that was worth the peace of mind.

Our RV park issued a freeze warning for a couple nights last winter. They wanted water hoses disconnected, especially for units without heat tapes. Had something to do with busting the pipes coming from the ground. Didn't make sense to us, but we all complied. They also forbid you to slow trickle water overnight. In the past, some sewer pipes burst from that. Again, I didn't understand. We went along with the "program" for the couple days.


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