Most plumbers don’t like heat tapes–those cables that look like extension cords but generate heat to keep pipes from freezing. They say a proper installation shouldn’t need them, and if pipes freeze ...

Lee Wallender is a home improvement writer of nearly 20 years and specializes in home remodeling, repair and maintenance. Sami Allen is the managing editor at Forbes Home, with over seven years of ...

MY AUGUST column about winterizing plumbing systems (pg. 44) generated a number of e-mails. Several questions were asked on using electric heat tapes. A memory long tucked away in the back recesses of ...