# Water Tank Insulation



## Firefly (22 Nov 2010)

Hi all.

I've insulated my attic floor recently and now want to ensure my tank and pipes don't burst during the winter as there will be less heat in the attic. As recommended on another tread, I left the area directly underneath my tank free of insulation. I have 2 tanks - a large one and a smaller one above it. Both are open and my question is - how do I insualte them? I was thinking about a flagging jacket or similiar, or perhaps wrapping (200m) glass wool (left over from insulating the attic floor) around both tanks. What do i do with the openings in the tanks though? Finally, we are planning to be aware for a week or 2 over the winter and I'm nervous about the pipes bursting whilst we are aware - any suggestions? Believe it or not, I'm thinking about putting the heating on in the house (3 hours on, 3 hours off) and leaving the STIRA open!
Thanks,
F


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## Petermack (22 Nov 2010)

Firefly said:


> Hi all.
> 
> I've insulated my attic floor recently and now want to ensure my tank and pipes don't burst during the winter as there will be less heat in the attic. As recommended on another tread, I left the area directly underneath my tank free of insulation. I have 2 tanks - a large one and a smaller one above it. Both are open and my question is - how do I insualte them? I was thinking about a flagging jacket or similiar, or perhaps wrapping (200m) glass wool (left over from insulating the attic floor) around both tanks. What do i do with the openings in the tanks though? Finally, we are planning to be aware for a week or 2 over the winter and I'm nervous about the pipes bursting whilst we are aware - any suggestions? Believe it or not, I'm thinking about putting the heating on in the house (3 hours on, 3 hours off) and leaving the STIRA open!
> Thanks,
> F


 
I was talking to a friend of mine who works in Chadwicks  and he reckons that they have seen sales of the heat lamp bulbs sky rocket in recent weeks. Seemingly people are replacing their normal bulbs in their attic with the heat lamp bulbs. I also believe some pet shops have sold out of the heat wave bulbs that you use to provide heat if you have exotic pets such as lizards etc.


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## Firefly (22 Nov 2010)

Thanks Mr Mack...I'll check those out. The other thing I was thinking of was buying an electric oil heater (Dimplex) with a timer and putting it in the attic. That was I can set it for a hour or so each night.


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## Meathman99 (22 Nov 2010)

Why not just drain the system. Switch water off at road and switch on your taps


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## onq (22 Nov 2010)

Firefly said:


> Hi all.
> 
> I've insulated my attic floor recently and now want to ensure my tank and pipes don't burst during the winter as there will be less heat in the attic. As recommended on another tread, I left the area directly underneath my tank free of insulation. I have 2 tanks - a large one and a smaller one above it. Both are open and my question is - how do I insualte them? I was thinking about a flagging jacket or similiar, or perhaps wrapping (200m) glass wool (left over from insulating the attic floor) around both tanks. What do i do with the openings in the tanks though? Finally, we are planning to be aware for a week or 2 over the winter and I'm nervous about the pipes bursting whilst we are aware - any suggestions? Believe it or not, I'm thinking about putting the heating on in the house (3 hours on, 3 hours off) and leaving the STIRA open!
> Thanks,
> F



Your strategies all seem sound enough.

Wrap the sides of the tanks with insulation and marry this into the floor insulation to close the gap between the base of the tank and the floor making sure not to allow insulation to spread under the tank.

That way heat from below always rises to keep the tank warm.
This is with the proviso that you should insulate all pipes to and from the tanks and install insulated covers over the open tops of the tanks.
I would also insulate the overflow pipes as far as I could reach.

I'm not sure about the overflow tank and the insulated cover for the main tank.
The siting of each is intended to allow the overflow tank to drain to the main tank if it ever overflows.
Putting a cover over the main tank could compromise that - bit of a conundrum there to think about.

ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon                                                as a defence or support -    in     and    of        itself  -         should       legal           action        be           taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in                                                Real Life with rights to       inspect     and       issue         reports    on     the               matters    at           hand.


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## Firefly (22 Nov 2010)

onq said:


> Wrap the sides of the tanks with insulation and *marry this into the floor insulation *to close the gap between the base of the tank and the floor making sure not to allow insulation to spread under the tank.



Good idea me thinks



onq said:


> I would also insulate the overflow pipes as far as I could reach.



What do overflow pipes look like and where would I find them? Sorry for the stupid q! (I'm guessing they are the pipes from the main tank to the smaller one).


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## onq (25 Nov 2010)

Sorry for the delay firefly.  Overflow tanks should be coming out of the side of the tank near but not at the top.  Their purpose is to prevent the tank overflowing into the attic space should the ballcock stick open and water continue to flow into the tank above the prescribed level. The water flows into the overflow pipe, and away, keeping the water level below the top of the tank to aboid a flood in the house.

The pipes are usually white plastic and discharge to the side if the attic and exit to air just under the eaves usually to the rear of side of the house. This high level discharge method isn't to avoid the cost of a downpipe - its so the resultant spatter will alert the homeowner to the problem in the tank.  Sorry for the delay firefly.

Overflow tanks should be coming out of the side of the tank near but not at the top.   Their purpose is to prevent the tank overflowing into the attic space should the ballcock stick open and water continue to flow into the tank above the prescribed level.

The water flows into the overflow pipe, and away, keeping the water level below the top of the tank to aboid a flood in the house. The pipes are usually white plastic and discharge to the side if the attic and exit to air just under the eaves usually to the rear of side of the house. This high level discharge method isn't to avoid the cost of a downpipe - its so the resultant spatter will alert the homeowner to the problem in the tank. 


ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon                                                 as a defence or support -     in     and    of        itself  -         should       legal            action        be           taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in                                                 Real Life with rights to        inspect     and       issue         reports    on     the                matters    at           hand.


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## Romulan (25 Nov 2010)

About to do the same so great to read this advice.

On a related topic, my tank has never had a cover and I notice sediment in the bottom.

Its settled and not disturbed but should I drain the tank and clean it out before putting a cover on it?  By cover I mean a packing type material cover but thin.


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## onq (26 Nov 2010)

I think you'll find that the outlet of the tank is from the side up above the sediment level.
Sediment can find its way in frommany sources apart from dead birds and during the original construction.

A usual source is when the water gets turned on again after a water shortage/break in service there is often sediment in the main supply system where the water "runs brown" for a while until it clears.
This brown water will go to the tank just as it goes to the kitchen potable water tap, and any sediment will eventually settle out.

So even plastic tanks can gather sediment over time.
Talk to your plumber, who may have a means of sucking up the sediment [glass pipe with rubber ball on the end for example] that wouldn't entail draining the tank and.or tipping it over.


ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon                                                  as a defence or support  -     in     and    of        itself  -         should       legal             action        be           taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in                                                  Real Life with rights to         inspect     and       issue         reports    on     the                 matters    at           hand.


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## Sconhome (26 Nov 2010)

Simple means of covering tank with insulation is to bond a 75mm sheet of PIR insulation to a sheet of 18mm WBP plywood. Both available from a builders providers. Use 'Beat the Nail' or similar high quality contact adhesive.

Cut the sheet to size first. You may get to go half's with a neighbour or friend as sheets are 8x4'.

Re sediment, you could use a length of hose and siphon the dirt off the bottom of the tank into a bucket. You will draw out water at the same time so be careful in the attic. The flow of the water will suck the dirt up also, like at a pool.


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## villa 1 (26 Nov 2010)

Both the Cold water storage cistern and the Heating feed and expansion cistern should have seperate overflows 22mm in diameter and of metal/plastic construction.
The overflow connections on the Cisterns/tanks should be fitted 25mm below the mains supply connection to stop any Back-syphonage that may occur if the ballcocks in these tanks becomes submerged in water, due to an overflow problem.
You cannot run the overflow from the feed and expansion cistern into the bigger cold water storage cistern as this will contaminate the water inside.


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## Firefly (26 Nov 2010)

Thanks for all the feedback - mucho appreciated!


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## bskinti (28 Nov 2010)

Here is a very simple way to insulate your tanks, Just throw an old douvet or sleeping bags over them and lag all your pipes up there,


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## NOAH (28 Nov 2010)

I am in the porcess of doing same but I have 2 large tanks and insisted on getting the covers as well so no dust or muck can get it to water.  I then tied rockwoll insulation around the sides and laid across the top. I have a light fitting nearby as well so will get a heat lamp with a timer and have that come on for a few hours when temperature really drops below -8.

I would never use an oil heater unattended and never in loft.

Putting heating on for hour in early morning and one hour in evening is good ide. Dont leave stira open, your house will freeze as all cold air will .....

NB cover tanks is essential

noah


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