Attic Frost Protection

Kenny Powers

OK with the cold spell just around the corner again I’m looking to do some preventive maintenance in the attic in case of another big freeze this year.
I’ve read a few threads on this already but there are allot of mixed opinions on what’s the best way to go.
So far I have insulated all the pipes and the cold water tank. So now I’m thinking of doing one of the following:

Using Infra Red lamps around the tank

Hanging a 220 watt 6ft tubular heater over the tank

Or using a 3KW fan heater directed in the area of the tank

I know these are costly to run but it’s just in case of a cold night or a heavy snow fall where ill manually throw the switch and switch it off again in the morning.
What do you guys use? What is the best option to go with?

Thanks

Shorty69664

Well I was looking into the same issue earlier this year and this is what the electrical shop recommened to me. http://www.cnmonline.co.uk/Honeywell-500W-Frost-Watcher-Convector-Heater-DC-pr-33588.html
I haven't fitted it yet as I have worries over where it can be placed and the space constraints I have but it is an option to look into.

It comes with a frost stat so you can get it to start heating when the temp gets to a preset value.

Oops. Just noticed that the link says it's no longer available............

Micky Dolenz

Simple, just wire through a frost stat, so live to frost stat and then onto heater. Set stat at 0C.

Kenny Powers

Yeah i know thats the easy part what im asking is which type of heater is best

Micky Dolenz

Either will do, you only need to keep the water at above 0C. I would probably go for the fan heater.

indie armada

by far the most common way is the ceramic lamp holder with a 150/250 ir watt lamp wired trough a frost stat hung just over the tank.we call them chicken lights cause they use them for foul and animals on farms during the cold weather.
led/robus do a frost watcher like the honeywell one shown above and are basicaly a heater with a frost stat built in but other posters recomend fitting a frost stat with these also.
the idea of the frost stat is you dont have to be there to ''throw the switch'' on a cold night, it will bring on either device when the temp gets to zero or what ever temp you set it at.

Kenny Powers

Thanks for the replies guys so generally its just a hanging ir light over the tank so there is no need to try and heat all the pipes around the tank?

indie armada

thats the most common method. ir lamp cost abot 8.50 and the lamp holder is abot 4.50 and a frost stat is abot 20.00 for a decent one.

m_stan

I'm also looking to protect my water tanks and pipework in my attic from freezing. Going to insulate the roof space well, but also (and in the meantime) considering a frost protection space heater.

Does this type of product do the trick and is there anything more effective or safer anyone can vouch for? Thanks

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Frost-Watcher-Cold-Watcher-Solid-Element-Heller-FSK-505-500W-/320781950133?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Hearing_Cooling_Air&hash=item4ab0181cb5#ht_511wt_1141

youtheman

indie armada wrote: »

by far the most common way is the ceramic lamp holder with a 150/250 ir watt lamp wired trough a frost stat hung just over the tank.we call them chicken lights cause they use them for foul and animals on farms during the cold weather.
led/robus do a frost watcher like the honeywell one shown above and are basicaly a heater with a frost stat built in but other posters recomend fitting a frost stat with these also.
the idea of the frost stat is you dont have to be there to ''throw the switch'' on a cold night, it will bring on either device when the temp gets to zero or what ever temp you set it at.

Bought this is kit-form in my local electrical suppliers for €54. Included ceramic lamp holder, 250 kw I.R. lamp wired to frost thermostat and 3-pin plug. 'Plug 'n' play'. Even had a little hook for screwing into the roof timber. Set it at 4 Degrees C, installed it in my mothers house (her attic tank froze solid last year, so at least I don't have to worry about that happening again).

m_stan

youtheman wrote: »

Bought this is kit-form in my local electrical suppliers for €54. Included ceramic lamp holder, 250 kw I.R. lamp wired to frost thermostat and 3-pin plug. 'Plug 'n' play'. Even had a little hook for screwing into the roof timber. Set it at 4 Degrees C, installed it in my mothers house (her attic tank froze solid last year, so at least I don't have to worry about that happening again).

Can you tell us where you got this? If that's not allowed publicly, would you mind PM'ing me? Thanks

Carlow52

am puzzled here: the tank [4 sides and top] and pipes are all well insulated.

if so where is the heater lamp etc going to be fitted: cant see much sense in putting say 4 " insulation around the tank and then playing an IR lamp on it from the outside.

youtheman

m_stan wrote: »

Can you tell us where you got this? If that's not allowed publicly, would you mind PM'ing me? Thanks

Got it in Cork. Not sure if this is much good to you as you appear to be in Dublin. If you still need to know where in Cork I got it then drop me a PM.

youtheman

Carlow52 wrote: »

am puzzled here: the tank [4 sides and top] and pipes are all well insulated.

if so where is the heater lamp etc going to be fitted: cant see much sense in putting say 4 " insulation around the tank and then playing an IR lamp on it from the outside.

Insulation will only slow down heat loss, it ain't magic. If your attic is at say 5 degrees, and then drops to minus 10 degrees then there will be a temperature difference between the tank and the surrounding air. And heat transfers between areas of temperature difference. So your tank will eventually reach minus 10 degrees (the insulation will admittedly slow it down). The lamp will keep the surrounding temp high enough to prevent the heat loss from the tank, and it may even cause heat transfer the other way.

The other option of course it to insulate the tank and keep the insulation away from under the tank such that the heat transfer is from the ceiling to the area around the tank.

paddy147

youtheman wrote: »

Insulation will only slow down heat loss, it ain't magic. If your attic is at say 5 degrees, and then drops to minus 10 degrees then there will be a temperature difference between the tank and the surrounding air. And heat transfers between areas of temperature difference. So your tank will eventually reach minus 10 degrees (the insulation will admittedly slow it down). The lamp will keep the surrounding temp high enough to prevent the heat loss from the tank, and it may even cause heat transfer the other way.

The other option of course it to insulate the tank and keep the insulation away from under the tank such that the heat transfer is from the ceiling to the area around the tank.

There are other options though...some more drastic than others though.:D