Insulating cold water tank

SuzieSue

ormus wrote: »

go up there in the winter and its freezing. more so now with modern insulation. (the loft will be the same temp as the external temps).
.

Yes, that is why I haven't added more insulation to my loft as I am worried that it will get too cold and the tank or pipes will freeze.

ormus

its still best, to insulate the loft to maximum thickness, and also do the tanks and any pipes.
as been said, you dont have spend any money. almost any old sacks/clothing/bedding will do the job.
ps
even proper tank and pipe insulation is not expensive.
ie
15mm x 5m long is about 2.50p at wickes.

SuzieSue

ormus wrote: »

its still best, to insulate the loft to maximum thickness, and also do the tanks and any pipes.
.
.

But surely if, as you said, it is almost as cold in the loft as outside (-15 in some places), does insulating a cold water tank and pipes stop them from freezing? Wouldn't even a small gap in the insulation mean that the pipes could be a risk of freezing?

ormus

yes cause the water comes in at above freezing temps (obviously) and the trick is to keep it that way.
also the heat from below the tank helps a lot. hence you should never insulate under a tank.
as for the pipes. yes you must do the job 100%. no gaps allowed.

SuzieSue

ormus wrote: »

yes cause the water comes in at above freezing temps (obviously) and the trick is to keep it that way.
also the heat from below the tank helps a lot. hence you should never insulate under a tank.
as for the pipes. yes you must do the job 100%. no gaps allowed.

Thanks, yes, it's really the pipes I would be worried about. I still think I would rather leave my loft insulation as it is as I would just be too worried about the pipes freezing.

27col

It seems to me McKneff that you have been lucky if your tank has not yet frozen. The other possible explanation is that the insulation in your loft is not thick enough and the subsequent heat loss into the loft is preventing your water tank from freezing. Insulation is so cheap that there can be no serious reason for not insulating anything and everything in a loft just to be on the safe side.

McKneff

27col wrote: »

It seems to me McKneff that you have been lucky if your tank has not yet frozen. The other possible explanation is that the insulation in your loft is not thick enough and the subsequent heat loss into the loft is preventing your water tank from freezing. Insulation is so cheap that there can be no serious reason for not insulating anything and everything in a loft just to be on the safe side.

I'll have to show my other half this thread then, like I say 40 odd years of being a householder. Lofts (2) have always been insulated and boarded well and we have had no problem.
Touch Wood.:D

richardw

Loft Insulation from tesco http://www.tescohomeefficiency.com/loft-insulation/c/430/

silvercar

The roof will provide some protection from the outside elements, so it should never be as cold in the loft as it is outside.

macman

SuzieSue wrote: »

Thanks, yes, it's really the pipes I would be worried about. I still think I would rather leave my loft insulation as it is as I would just be too worried about the pipes freezing.

If you lag the pipes properly and remove any sources of draughts from outside, and lag the tank, then you should not have any problem.
In really extreme weather conditions you can just leave the loft hatch open to let the heat rise into it.
I'd say that not having adequate loft insulation for this reason alone is very short-sighted-and expensive.
I remember that my parents' house had a little tubular electric heater mounted in the loft near the tank that you could switch on when it was really cold, never see those now?