# Insulating around pipes and wiring
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulating-around-pipes-and-wiring/381887
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 27, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulating-around-pipes-and-wiring/381887 "2006-11-27T00:18:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulating-around-pipes-and-wiring/381887/1 "2006-11-27T00:18:40Z")
I have googled and the answer seems to be do the easiest thing.
But what is the best way to insulate around pipes and electrical in an exterior wall in Seattle? (1) Just on exterior side of pipes or (2) cut a slit and try and fit the insulation around the pipe or (3) split the insulation into layers and put as much behind the pipes as is allowed.
A picture of one incidence is here:
[Blow up picture of pipes and electrical lines](http://faculty.washington.edu/~ealthoff/IMG_3205.JPG)
Thanks from a long time lurker- rewarding myself at Christmas with a membership (after the remodel is done!).
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### Author:  [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulating-around-pipes-and-wiring/381887/2 "2006-11-27T00:44:04Z")
Usualy I would stuff a little bit of insulation behind the larger pipes to ensure I got behind them. Then slit the insulation down to the vapor barrier where it needs to go over pipes wires.
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### Author:  [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulating-around-pipes-and-wiring/381887/3 "2006-11-27T03:31:14Z")
You certainly want insulation between your pipes and the outside wall; otherwise they’ll freeze in winter. It doesn’t seem to me to matter much how you get the insulation there, though.
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### Author:  [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2006, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulating-around-pipes-and-wiring/381887/4 "2006-11-27T04:40:20Z")
Stuff it behind the pipes, none between the pipes and the inside wall. The pipes should be on the inside of the insulation, not outside or in the middle.
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### Author:  [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulating-around-pipes-and-wiring/381887/5 "2006-11-27T16:12:28Z")
The only decent pipe insulation is the kind that comes in long foam tubes slit all the way down. Costs something like a dollar for 6 foot stick, cuts with scissors.
Any other type will not stay near the pipes and you will get hot and cold sections.
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### Author:  [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulating-around-pipes-and-wiring/381887/6 "2006-11-27T18:57:33Z")
**AtP** , right as you are, (s)he doesn’t want to insulate the pipes; (s)he wants to insulate the wall behind the pipes.
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### Author:  [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2006, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulating-around-pipes-and-wiring/381887/7 "2006-11-27T19:31:51Z")
Thanks for all your help. After too many hours, I got the whole kitchen completed- and there are no air pockets or uninsulated spaces to be found.