Need advice for insulating high pressure well tank

[BasicLiving]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and joined because I stumbled on this website and am really impressed with the dept of knowledge and experience in homesteading I found here. My husband and I are at the very beginning of our quest to get back to basic living. We still have a little ways to go (specifically, we need to sell a home in town so that we can move to our 65 acres). We have a plan, and we're working on it - and it can't happen soon enough! If you are interested in the full story, check out my website.

My question concerns insulating a high pressure well tank for winter protection. We have a double wide and the well tank is located under the house (house is on pillars). We have skirting around the house, but are concerned about the tank and pipes freezing. Do we need to enclose the tank in some sort of structure? Or will covering it in insulation, wrapping the pipes in heat tape, and hanging a 100 watt light bulb over it do the trick? We live in Shenandoah County in Virginia, and it can get below freezing here for short spells.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Penny

[littlebitfarm]

I had mine insulated with 2 inches of foam and then 1/2 plywood around it, it was a separate little building. I used a light bulb plugged int a temperature sensor so it didn't turn on until about 40 degrees. I also put the sensor from an indoor/outdoor thermometer in there and hung the thermometer where I could easily read it. In 4 years of Illinois winters I didn't have a problem.

Kathie

[BasicLiving]

Thanks for the info. I think the plywood around it sounds like a good idea - it will help keep the heat from the light close to the tank. Was there a particular type of foam you used? I'm wondering if Home Depot or Lowes would have something for that purpose.

Thanks again!

[littlebitfarm]

I just used the regular foil backed insulation. One brand is Celotex.

Kathie