Heat tape
An electric cable that wraps a pipe to keep it from freezing.
Heat tape (also called heat cable or pipe-heating cable) is an electric cable you run along a pipe to keep it above freezing in cold spots — under a mobile home, in a crawl space, or along an exposed run. Use only a UL-listed cable rated for your pipe material, follow the spacing on the package, and never overlap it on itself or cover self-regulating cable with insulation unless the label allows it, since a damaged or misused cable is a fire risk. To thaw a pipe that's already frozen, a hair dryer or heating pad is safer and faster than waiting on tape. See [how to thaw frozen pipes](/guides/how-to-prevent-and-treat-frozen-pipes).