We receive a lot of questions asking if PVC pipes can be heat traced. Yes PVC pipes can be heat traced as long as the heat trace temperature provided doesn’t exceed the pipe exposure temperature. Picture below showing recent Heat Trace installation in Toronto area, the Heat Trace cable placement on PVC pipe must be at the bottom of the pipe, wither the purpose of installing the heat trace is a freeze protection or maintain high temperature the setpoint temperature must not exceed the pipe exposure temperature.
Self regulating heat trace cable can be used to heat trace a PVC pipe with out a a temperature controller relying on the self regulating feature to protect from the pipe from freezing.
The PVC pipe must be insulated after installing the heat trace cable.
