dave1949
Super Star Member
LMAO.
Well Tank Insulation
- Thread starter Jimmyb33
- Start date
LMAO.
I also live here in SE Texas, near the coast ( and too close to Houston!).
The major thing you need to worry about is the 1/4" nipple that ties into your pressure switch. That will be the 1st thing to freeze. Wrap it up if nothing else.
Water comes out of the ground around ~60 deg F. Put a tarp around the tank and weight it down. The most important thing is to keep the wind off the tank/pipes. I have run a small drip before and it works great. As long as the pump kicks on every hour or two you'll be fine. I really don't expect it to get that cold here on the coast but up closer or above Houston it can get pretty cold.
FYI for all you yankees-we don't have basements here in Texas, and it rarely freezes here in SE Texas. It occassionally dips down to 29 deg or so, but rarely do we get down to the 20's for days on end. It's a good idea here to keep the tanks etc. outside because during the summer time they will sweat a lot and make any garage or shed damp and moist, not to mention what happens when you have a leak etc. We keep the pumps/tanks/pipes/wells outside because it makes it easier to work on them and maintain them. I have seen people go way overboard with the insulation and when it starts heating up in the summer we got a lot of calls and sure enough, too much insulation etc. burned up the motor.
The major thing you need to worry about is the 1/4" nipple that ties into your pressure switch. That will be the 1st thing to freeze. Wrap it up if nothing else.
Water comes out of the ground around ~60 deg F. Put a tarp around the tank and weight it down. The most important thing is to keep the wind off the tank/pipes. I have run a small drip before and it works great. As long as the pump kicks on every hour or two you'll be fine. I really don't expect it to get that cold here on the coast but up closer or above Houston it can get pretty cold.
FYI for all you yankees-we don't have basements here in Texas, and it rarely freezes here in SE Texas. It occassionally dips down to 29 deg or so, but rarely do we get down to the 20's for days on end. It's a good idea here to keep the tanks etc. outside because during the summer time they will sweat a lot and make any garage or shed damp and moist, not to mention what happens when you have a leak etc. We keep the pumps/tanks/pipes/wells outside because it makes it easier to work on them and maintain them. I have seen people go way overboard with the insulation and when it starts heating up in the summer we got a lot of calls and sure enough, too much insulation etc. burned up the motor.
LBrown59
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2004
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- 16,851
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- 2003 Kubota BX1500/2004 Kubota Bx23/2005 Kubota BX1500
Are you talking about well water or a hot water tank?
SimS
Gold Member
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- Oct 24, 2000
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- Rutledge, GA
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- Kubota L3710DT, Case 1845C, Takeuchi TB015
I use the thermostatically controlled "heat tape" in my well house to prevent freezing. I bought a 30 or 40 foot model and just wrapped all the pipes and looped it several times around the pressure tank (fiberglass). Our temps rarely get in the teens in our part of Georgia but the tape works fine for the 20s and 30s we do experience. We have not had any problems. Our ground water temperature is approx. 53 degrees so I think running a trickle might also work, but then you are cycling the pump all night. Good luck.
SimS
SimS
Patriotic Stabilist
Platinum Member
Our pump is in a block wellhouse and hubby has the tank and stuff insulated, remember we are transplanted Yankees. Our stuff is insulated like it was up north. When it gets below 32 especially in the low 20's we put a heat lamp or heater on it. I even put a heater in the henhouse when it gets real cold, makes the little feathered ladies happy.
I put plywood in the windows in winter. For tomorrow night, hubby got me some styrofoam to stick in the windows and I've got extra insulation. Generally I do that in the fall but didn't this year. They will be cozy.
I keep a light on at night out there anyway. In the fall and winter, they need at least 12 hours of daylight a day or their egg laying will stop or decrease. Most days we get 5 eggs from 5 hens this way.
I put plywood in the windows in winter. For tomorrow night, hubby got me some styrofoam to stick in the windows and I've got extra insulation. Generally I do that in the fall but didn't this year. They will be cozy.
I keep a light on at night out there anyway. In the fall and winter, they need at least 12 hours of daylight a day or their egg laying will stop or decrease. Most days we get 5 eggs from 5 hens this way.
MikePA
Super Moderator
Re-read the thread title...Well Tank.
The Dougster
Gold Member
As others have mentioned, you should worry about the extraneous plumbing more than the tank itself. I have seen where the water in the exterior plumbing freezes up and normal water use kicks on the well pump causing the pump to run continously... In water wells with PVC casing, the motor gets hot and causes the casing to shrink around the pump... This is NOT cool... often a contractor has to push the pump to the bottom of the well and install a new one... Many times it requires a new well to be drilled...
When it warms up a little, build yourself a well house.. Okidokers?
When it warms up a little, build yourself a well house.. Okidokers?
Thanks again to everyone who replied to my questions. Here's where I am now. I have all the plumbing in and out of the well casing and tank wrapped with foam insulation and good ol duck tape. I have covered the whole thing with a big tarp that reaches the ground all around and stuck a shop light under there to provide some heat. Of course, last night it was in the 50's all night but I'm ready for tonight. Winds finally shifted from the North this morning and we should get a freeze tomorow morning. Supposed to be around freezing all day tomorow through Sunday. I'm pretty close to the coast too so it may not stay at or below freezing as long as the weather folks say. Once we get to freezing, I'll leave a little trickle on the kitchen sink.
Thanks again! Stay warm everyone!!
JB
Thanks again! Stay warm everyone!!
JB