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Frost protection for pipes/water tank in garage

  • 29-10-2010 01:58PM
    #1
    skinner2x
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    I'm trying to decide the best method to protect against heavy frost in my garage. Last year I got caught out with the hard winter.

    I've a high pressure system for water, with the speed controlled pump in the garage. The water tank for this is in the rafters of the garage. Oil boiler is also in the garage .

    During the hard frost last year : (-16 deg). we were away on hols, so weren't there to runs taps etc.

    Water pump froze.
    Water tank froze.
    Heating was OK, got my folks to switch it on.

    Is it possible to successfully insulate tank/water pipes/pump from -16deg that lasts more than a few days?

    Would I be better off to put a frost sensor in the garage , which could activate a valve to a rad in the garage.. (requires a bit of plumbing/wiring work).

    I've heard of people using heats lamps, but if we had 3-4 wks of frost again this would run up quite a bill....

    Appreciate any advice..


Comments

  • #2
    Smart Guy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31 ✭Smart Guy


    It is a combination of both. The frost did not effect me last year as I had an automatic frost protection heater in the attic. It costs about €70, is very cheap to run and comes in automatically.


  • #3
    skinner2x
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭skinner2x


    Smart Guy wrote: »
    It is a combination of both. The frost did not effect me last year as I had an automatic frost protection heater in the attic. It costs about €70, is very cheap to run and comes in automatically.

    You don't know the make and wattage by any chance?

    Thanks


  • #4
    yoshytoshy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,305 ✭✭✭yoshytoshy


    If no one is going to be there ,could you not just drain the tank down and turn off the water ?

    If you are there ,as long as theres movement in the tank every few hours and it's insulated properly ,you should be fine.


  • #5
    meercat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,899 ✭✭✭meercat


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056070170&highlight=frost+watcher

    similar posts in electrical


  • #6
    skinner2x
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭skinner2x


    yoshytoshy wrote: »
    If no one is going to be there ,could you not just drain the tank down and turn off the water ?

    If you are there ,as long as theres movement in the tank every few hours and it's insulated properly ,you should be fine.

    Not an option (not easily) to be honest. I've an integrated stove/backboiler circuit that I don't want to screw with. I want to make system frost proof in any case.
    I'm going to heavily insulate tank, pipes, and put that heated trace tape on the pump. (activated by frost stat).

    Thanks for the inputs..


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