Why do Norwegians run cables in their downpipes?

[pirate]

A friend is currently travelling in Norway. He tells me he sees cables run in downpipes everywhere...some are loops, some have leccy tape over the ends, some are Cat5, but loads of cables in downpipes. Can someone tell me why?

 

[pc1966]

Can someone tell me why?

Because it is there?

I suspect it is simply duct of convenience, and no regs saying otherwise. Maybe @Lucien Nunes will know?

 

[snowhead]

Trace heating maybe, for the ones that aren't Cat5 (if that's what some are)

 

[LukeD]

same as in Iceland ..to stop the pipes from freezing

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Yes, it's heating tape. We're notoriously bad for not being prepared for snow and ice in the UK. Other places have it nailed.

 

[pirate]

Thanks for those comments! it certainly makes sense that they are heating tapes, or trace heaters...I installed some internal trace heating on a small commercial building last year, to wrap the incoming water supply...just hadn't thought that maybe outside drains would need the same treatment...although I have seen adverts for gutter heating, now that I think about it.
I'd be really interested to know what the power supply and output is to keep those downpipes clear.
Freezing water is such a problem...I prefer warmer climes!

 

[Allan*]

A friend is currently travelling in Norway. He tells me he sees cables run in downpipes everywhere...some are loops, some have leccy tape over the ends, some are Cat5, but loads of cables in downpipes. Can someone tell me why?

It's trace heating tape. We mainly use it in the UK for condensing boiler drains to stop them icing up in the winter.

 

[pc1966]

We're notoriously bad for not being prepared for snow and ice in the UK. Other places have it nailed.

I guess we just don't get enough of it to force money being spent to fix it. As you say, other areas have systems in place to deal with the biggest problems such as the roads (sufficient snow ploughs, mandating winter tyres in winter, in Scandanavia actually testing drivers on slippery conditions, etc) and property being well insulated, etc.