Heating Well Pit

[brokenknee]

Howdy,
What type of well pit do you have? Do you have a large sewer drain lid and climb down the ladder into?
8'x8' and about 75" tall inside, all inside coated with UGL waterproofing, and about 5 inches of dirt over the top.

Sorry for the poor quality pictures, we have two cameras and couldn't find either one. So they are the crappy cell phone pictures.

Here is what the cover looks like at this time. Maddie our dog likes to chew on it, she is just a pup, hopefully once I get some straw on it she will leave it alone.

Here is a picture of what it looks like down in the hole. I stepped it off and it is about 4' by 8'. and about 6' deep.

 

[Willl]

Here is a picture of what it looks like down in the hole.

Is that a 110 volt outlet I see on the inside wall ?

If so, I'd add some heat tape.

 

[brokenknee]

Is that a 110 volt outlet I see on the inside wall ?

If so, I'd add some heat tape.

Yes it is. Is it usually just the pipe that freezes? or do I have to worry about were it goes back into the ground that I would not be able to tape?

 

[Willl]

On mine, I start at the casing outlet and wrap all the way around with it going about 6" under ground. I also give an extra loop around the tank inlet and and the pressure switch inlet.

 

[brokenknee]

On mine, I start at the casing outlet and wrap all the way around with it going about 6" under ground. I also give an extra loop around the tank inlet and and the pressure switch inlet.

Kind of hard to see from the picture, but it a concrete floor. Some dirt has washed down over the years I need to clean out, but for now just need to keep it from freezing.

 

[Willl]

I'll go take some pics of mine.

It's not a pit, more like a shed. Which makes it even more vulnerable to cold temps.

 

[brokenknee]

I'll go take some pics of mine.

Thanks, that would be great.

 

[daybreak1998]

Sorry for the poor quality pictures, we have two cameras and couldn't find either one. So they are the crappy cell phone pictures.

Here is what the cover looks like at this time. Maddie our dog likes to chew on it, she is just a pup, hopefully once I get some straw on it she will leave it alone.

Here is a picture of what it looks like down in the hole. I stepped it off and it is about 4' by 8'. and about 6' deep.

So, by the looks of it you really do not have a top. My pit is a complete square cement foundation type walls with a 4 inch thick cement ceiling. I have a street man hole cover over the entry hole. Since mine is a complete box in the earth I do not have freezing problems. I would suggest making a large 2 by 6 framed wall with corrugated metal panels and a lot of insulation as a cover. Just 2 years ago I installed another pit on the farm. A 1000 gallon cistern tank custom poured with PVC pipe fittings in place. 2 schedule 80 connectors at the top, and 2 2.5" pvc bell ends on each wall. A drain pvc piece at the bottom. I also had the hole made at 32". A 36" dialog by 36" high pipe over the hole with a cement lid. The pipe on the sides are for water pipe in, and electric in. Water out to faucets on the other side. The top connectors are for like ship vents. A elbow at the top with stainless steel wool, and screen to keep things out. One faces southwest. One faces northest. Let's the tank breath.

 

[brokenknee]

I'll go take some pics of mine.

It's not a pit, more like a shed. Which makes it even more vulnerable to cold temps.

Thanks for the pictures. How cold does it get were you are located? The heat tape I have seen has insulation wrapped around the pipe. I would think it would make the heat tape more efficient.

So, by the looks of it you really do not have a top. My pit is a complete square cement foundation type walls with a 4 inch thick cement ceiling. I have a street man hole cover over the entry hole. Since mine is a complete box in the earth I do not have freezing problems. I would suggest making a large 2 by 6 framed wall with corrugated metal panels and a lot of insulation as a cover. Just 2 years ago I installed another pit on the farm. A 1000 gallon cistern tank custom poured with PVC pipe fittings in place. 2 schedule 80 connectors at the top, and 2 2.5" pvc bell ends on each wall. A drain pvc piece at the bottom. I also had the hole made at 32". A 36" dialog by 36" high pipe over the hole with a cement lid. The pipe on the sides are for water pipe in, and electric in. Water out to faucets on the other side. The top connectors are for like ship vents. A elbow at the top with stainless steel wool, and screen to keep things out. One faces southwest. One faces northest. Let's the tank breath.

The top I have it just 2X6 s nailed together (or at least some of them are). No insulation on the lid or the side walls at all. This is something I plan to do this, but for this year just need to keep it from freezing. Just bought the place this summer and sooooo many things to do.

 

[Willl]

How cold does it get were you are located?

During the coldest I've seen it in the teens, but it's rare. More likely mid to upper 20s.

The heat tape I have seen has insulation wrapped around the pipe. I would think it would make the heat tape more efficient.

You bet it would.

Better to error on the plus side in this situation.