water cistern lid freezing???

[GYPSY]

hi gang, what do any of you do in the winter to protect your cisterns lid from freezing shut to the cistern riser??? the cistern is a 4000 gallon concrete underground unit that has a riser bout 30" tall on top with a square concrete lid, what happens in the winter is snow/rain/water will freeze, rendering the lid froze shut. cant pull it open to fill water on a routine sched. i have removed the lid and replaced it with a piece of plywood and then lid on top, but that is quick remedy but not an actual fix. i thought of some kind of cover??? the riser is about 30" in diameter and the lid is square in the middle of it, the lid has a handle for lifting that has been cast into it. look forward to all your ideas, thanks in advance,

gypsy

 

[mbohuntr]

hi gang, what do any of you do in the winter to protect your cisterns lid from freezing shut to the cistern riser??? the cistern is a 4000 gallon concrete underground unit that has a riser bout 30" tall on top with a square concrete lid, what happens in the winter is snow/rain/water will freeze, rendering the lid froze shut. cant pull it open to fill water on a routine sched. i have removed the lid and replaced it with a piece of plywood and then lid on top, but that is quick remedy but not an actual fix. i thought of some kind of cover??? the riser is about 30" in diameter and the lid is square in the middle of it, the lid has a handle for lifting that has been cast into it. look forward to all your ideas, thanks in advance,

gypsy

Try taking a rubber sheet and laying it over the opening, then take a razor knife and cut an "X" in the opening so the flaps drop down into the hole. Then place the lid on the rubber. This should keep the concrete parts from sticking together.

 

[radioman]

put a roof with sides on it to keep water out . be sure its well ventilated at the top with vents. It cant be expensive to build a shed like building for it to solve all water issues.

 

[rekees4300]

look forward to all your ideas

Could you build an inside lid for the riser then install a heater?

View attachment 340199

 

[GYPSY]

Try taking a rubber sheet and laying it over the opening, then take a razor knife and cut an "X" in the opening so the flaps drop down into the hole. Then place the lid on the rubber. This should keep the concrete parts from sticking together.

great idea, ive done similar but has proven to be a pain for the delivery driver, especially when cold out.

put a roof with sides on it to keep water out . be sure its well ventilated at the top with vents. It cant be expensive to build a shed like building for it to solve all water issues.

aesthetically would not work as to where it is, im with you on this one but, no.

Could you build an inside lid for the riser then install a heater?

View attachment 340199

would require constant power and hydro to be run, would not really help to elements that are on top.

was gonna cut a 45gallon drum and use it as a lid to the riser but the riser, measured again today, is 43" dia. the drum is 23 but something like that would work, maybe wack something up out of some tin, i dont know, was hopin for something easy/easier. thanks

 

[rmorey]

Why not build a wooden structure (box) to sit on top for the winter. Insulate the inside and you're good to go!

 

[dave1949]

Depending on the hose used by the delivery truck, you could install a riser pipe through the lid with a threaded cap. Leave a wrench hanging on the riser. It would be the reverse of the permanent water hydrants FD's install in streams and ponds.

 

[jaotguy]

pick up a roll of 6 mil plastic, cut some sheets of 3' by 3' ... lift lid , drop sheet on center of opening , drop lid in place.... put a larger piece of plastic over the top to cover the whole works and use a bungee cord around the outside to hold the bigger plastic in place.... the plastic between the top and lid acts like grease and will not let the two bond to each other .... the one over every thing keeps most of the water out.

 

[PTW3320]

I built a 4'h x 3'w x 3'd wooden box out of 2x8's. Set it around the riser, and filled a bunch of dirt/gravel around the outside of the box. Then I built a hinged lid for the top. I also had a 4" hole drilled into the cistern lid and attached a threaded tube in. Works great, never froze up yet, and our coldest since I built it was -38.

 

[SPIKER]

I say build the wooden box insulate it with styrofoam boards 2" use some of the aluminum sticky duct tape to help seal & insulate it. Make it a foot or so bigger in each direction with a hinged lid or simple slip fit off the top. the water warmth coming up thru the riser should stay warm enough to keep frost from freezing on the concrete with the insulated box on top. You can even paint it black so sun keeps it even warmer.

Mark