Apparatus and assembly for heating pipes

A heating assembly for insertion in to a conduit of a water system consisting of a heating element, a protective pipe encasing at least part of said heating element, said protective pipe closed at one end and attached at the opposite end to a retainer dimensioned to be connected to a fitting of a water system, said protective pipe defining a chamber to contain said heating element and separate said heating element from said conduit, a bore extending through said retainer to receive slidably said protective pipe and permit longitudinal adjustment of said protective pipe relative to said retainer and thereby vary the length of protective pipe inserted in to said conduit, and a compressive clamp applying a radial force between said retainer and said protective pipe to cause said retainer to engage said protective pipe and inhibit relative movement between said protective pipe and said retainer and seal said protective pipe to said fitting, said heating element passing through said bore so as to be removable from within the protective pipe whilst maintaining the integrity of said conduit.