Saafely enclosing vertical steam pipe?
I have a vertical steam heat pipe VERY close to my bathtub. I clearly cannot cover it with a grated side because water would get in. I was thinking or insulating the pipe, enclosing it 6 ft up and then doing grating from there to the ceiling. Would this be safe? And could I cover…
I have a vertical steam heat pipe VERY close to my bathtub. I clearly cannot cover it with a grated side because water would get in. I was thinking or insulating the pipe, enclosing it 6 ft up and then doing grating from there to the ceiling. Would this be safe? And could I cover the enclosure with wall tile? (I need to do something that can withstand getting wet.)
Any ideas?
Thanks, Alison
The pipe is actually at the foot of the tub, between the tub and then wall… so the pipe is actually within the tub “enclosure.”
Thus the problem with getting wet. Im glad that boxing it in sounds feasible. Thanks.
Don’t insullate the pipe, box it in, and tile it. then buy a plastic vent cover at the hardware store (you can order one to size) and install it at the top of the column to let heat into the bathroom.
Water won’t rust the plastic vent cover and plenty of heat will come out since the pipe isn’t insullated.
I did this recently in a renovation of a small bathroom — it looks professional but was very cheap.
Wrap a nice “rope” around it. Nylon rope, in a nice color would work for you. Or if you want more rustic, use a real tan rope, though it might get smelly if it gets wet. But why would it get wet? Don’t you have a shower curtain?
Sure, you could box it in and tile it. However, that’s a big job. The easy solution would be to put a foam insulation sock over the pipe in the winter. I think you can get covers that will keep the insulation dry. You may want to look into it at a plumbing supply shop.
I really thing tile is the way to go, just make sure the water level is lower then the top opening.