The fact this guy is still responding to a video from 2014 in 2019 on a regular basis earns my respect these days. Video was chock full of info. Way to go dude. I got my answer. I'm doing it right! But I like to hear it sometimes.
Thank you for making this video. You saved me so much time, money, and frustration. I'm moving into my first well drilled home and you have aleved my fears.😁🇺🇸💖
The thermo cube is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the info! One suggestion I would have is that your equipment should be anchored well to the structure so that if there is a seismic event, you won't overstress you piping or have your tank fall over. Thanks again.
This video was SUPER helpful this time last week when getting ready for the Arctic Blast - saved my bacon, THANKS! ...just ordered an "Add-A-Stat" Thermostatically Controlled In-line plug from Amazon to control my space heater.
Another good thing to mention would be solar power with backup battery. Or a generator. Some people may experience ice storms and power outages. Then none of that works, except the insulation. With backup power, you're definitely covered. Thanks for sharing! I'm planning for our well pump system install and found your video helpful.
Great video, sir…thanks! Our pump/cistern froze up a couple of days ago (we live in Montana) highs were -23 and lows with wind chill were -51… Good news is it’s supposed to get above zero tomorrow or the next day!
Make sure that well house space heater is analog, NOT digital. I've had the power go out indoors and when it comes back on, the digital heaters don't turn back on. I have that exact same heater in the video in my well house; works like a champ.
Hey Jim, great video, thanks. Have you looked into thermal jackets for the water pressure tank itself? Also, what are your thoughts on PEX and its better resistance to expansion?
Where we are, we don't get cold enough to have damage to pressure tanks due to freeze. If you are in an area that gets that cold, then that would be a great way to fix the problem. I like PEX for its expansion properties. We don't use it on our controls section of the plumbing because we have so many fittings to add in that it would just bust the fittings. But, for long runs, we use it in water lines all the time.
Hey Jim! We have a two-room cabin on concrete blocks in the North Woods. Underneath the house is open and we have a wooden box built around the outside pump. We usually leave in the beginning of October. We might have a night or two that's 30 32 degrees, days in the 40s 50s. Then the nights kick back up into the 40s with the days in the 50s. My question is when do we need to get out of town. Do the Lows have to be in the 30s consistently for two or three days with the highs also in the 30s or could it freeze with just one or two nights in the 30s. Thank you in advance.
A small water pipe can freeze solid with only a few hours below freezing. Check out my video on freeze misers. This is another great tool that can protect your pipes without the hassle of installing insulation.
extremely good advice every homeowner should know if they dont live in a city. what i dont get is why you cannot build on top of a well. it would keep it insulated and pipes wont ever burst. yes, i know wells can collapse, but this isnt the 1800's. i am sure there is a way to get it to work.
When the submersible pump needs to be replaced, you have to pull the pump up through the casing. Normally it is in 20' joints of rigid pipe. If you have a hole in your roof (like a skylight) then you can build over it in many cases. But, it will slow our crew down and you are paying by the hour to change the pump. Another option is to replace your pipe with a flexible pipe or hose that won't require the hole in the roof. This is not always feasible depending upon many conditions. You will need to consult with your local well contractor about this before doing. i have redrilled a few wells in my life because we were not able to service a well because the homeowner built around it too much.
Just moved to NC and this morning there was no water in our place cause I’m assuming some pipes froze. Was not fun! I found the well water pump, it was under a fake boulder that’s a cover. Can I run a portable 250 watt halogen work and keep it under the cover?
Hi Jim. We're in W Central Missouri and trying to decide whether to change our old deep well pump to a new solar with backup AC, or to get an above ground tank (rainwater catchment), sink its bottom 42" deep with buried pipes to root cellar where pressure tank is. Any thoughts? Could an aerator in the tank keep the water from freezing? Would a poly tank stand the bottom 42" in ground? Thanks.
I don't think it would be wise for you take advice from a Texan about how to freeze protect a well up in the frozen tundra of Missouri. But, if I lived there, I would probably build an insulated, heated pump house and keep my tank above ground in there. Most tanks are not designed to withstand ground pressure. They will do alright as long as the tank stays full, but if the water level drops, your tank could collapse. Not much of a problem with a metal propane tank. But, if you find a tank that can withstand ground pressure and you keep it deep enough, it will work. An aerator might help but i wouldn't count on that tiny piece of equipment to save you.
@@jimblair1 thanks for sharing "what you would do." I respect your opinion very much. We have heating our root cellar in the coldest nights to protect the pipes and pressure tank. Your videos (I've watched another one, too) are very helpful! Thanks again.
Hey nice video! If we were putting a pump system into a seasonal home would it be bad to just let it freeze when we left for the winter? (We would drain the tank before we left of course!)
As long as you completely drain all tanks, pipes, etc. the equipment will not be damaged due to a freeze. But it may be hard to get all the water out depending upon how your system is set up. You may need compressed air to get the job done fully. Good luck!
Our well head is outside of the well house. The previous owner put a plastic bucket around it with the top of the bucket cut off so the well head was exposed to the air… and threw a few nasty bathroom rugs on top of it. Wow! What can I do to keep the well head from damage or freezing?
I have a well without a well house. There is just what looks like a rock over the pump. I dont have a storage tank, the line runs up to a spicket and then i have a heated hose to my rv. Can the pump or the spicket freeze? The water line is burried, can that freeze? Help please no water is running in my rv. What to i do? Was i supposed to trickle the water inside the rv like u do a house?
This all depends on where you live. If you are in Central Mexico, probably not. If you are in Nebraska, it probably already is frozen. If you live near me in Texas, then you probably are fine with anything buried. But everything else can freeze. We have seen pipes freeze up to 6" deep underground here.
So I run a 550 gallon storage tank, if the tank is getting super cold, even icing up on the top. Is it ok to run water right back into it to keep the pump running over night? The water in the storage tank is cold right? So is it better to run the water or not?
If you keep the water running enough circulating through the tank it won't freeze. How much depends upon how cold it gets where you are. Here in Texas 2 gpm is plenty. If you live at the North pole you might need 100 gpm.
Hi Jim, unfortunately I saw this video too late that said trickle instead of trip. Our well isn’t in a well house we wrapped it yesterday evening right before temps plummeted. This morning no water. How can I unfreeze either my pump or find the source? We have pex piping indoors
I’m about to be fixing my well we just moved into this house and wasn’t prepared for this cold snap. I’ll be insulating the well house for sure. The water system was Jerry rigged I’m going back with how it should be. I’m also going to add a heater. My system doesn’t have a booster pump does that just increase water pressure?
Booster pumps are use for 2 main purposes. Boosting city water and pushing water from a storage tank to a pressure tank. See my video on storage tanks. ruclips.net/video/fTJrRpVkiTI/видео.html But, there are other tings you can do to increase the water pressure. Check out this video on adjusting the pressure. ruclips.net/video/Vv4gY35byY4/видео.html Then, check to make sure you have no restrictions. filters, small piping, partially closed valves can all reduce pressure.
Bee Cave Drilling thanks for the reply I got it all fixed how it should be, still no booster pump, however with only one reduction and everything else plumbed right I removed several unneeded feet of pipe and pointless valves, my water pressure practically doubled I’m very happy with it now. The storage tank really interest me and I can see the benefits in it I’ll be looking more into it
I set up one of those oil filled radiator type space heaters in my pump house that has a frost proof setting and I think they retain heat longer after they kick off.
@@DavidGlover guys, any type of heater that doesn't use electricity will work. i used a propane heater that sits on top of a 5 gallon bottle. It burned for several days and kept my pumphouse toasty.
I was going to build a small shed to enclose my well but then thought what happens if the submersible pump fails over time...may have to rip it all down to replace that pump or service the well...thoughts? Thank you. Great information
Pump houses over the well are quite popular. Just make sure you have a removable roof or a skylight directly over the well head. A 24" X 24" skylight is best but we can usually work with an 18".
What’s the purpose of a booster pump? I don’t have one down here in south Texas, Corpus area my well is only 130ft when we change pumps we pull it out by hand save a lot of money
We install a lot of storage tank systems where the well fills the storage tank. Then you need a booster pump to put the water back under pressure. Check out the video. ruclips.net/video/fTJrRpVkiTI/видео.html
Hi I buy a property in Arizona it have a well with a 5" steel casing and you have a PVC pipe inside the inside of the PVC pipe is 4 1/4 kenai install a 4" pump on it or have to be 3" pump I will appreciate it so much if you answer me thank you
The main casing we use is 4.5". That allows us to install a 4" pump inside. You can install a 4" pump inside 4" casing if the casing is not too thick. 4" will fit inside 4" sch. 40 or thinner, but will not fit inside 4" sdr-17 or sch. 80 pipe. We use 4.5" to avoid this issue. when we use sch. 80 casing, we step up to 5". Another consideration is flow. If you have a 4" pump inside 4" sch. 40 casing, you should limit your flow to about 12 gpm. You need to make sure you have enough room beside the pump for the water to flow. Another option is to get a slim line pump (3.75") or use a 3" pump if your casing is too small for a 4" pump.
This will work if you can actually drain the water. But in most cases, you will need an air compressor to blow the water out if the pipes. Trapped water will still freeze.
To quote Robert Burns: “The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley.” Translation: "Sometimes when you build a shed, you don't realize its real purpose is a pump house."
Hey, if you have the means to do that, you should be protected from freezing. But, be careful about installing storage tanks underground. #1 issue is possible contamination of the water. Second issue is the tank popping out of the ground. It can be done, but it needs to be done right or you will regret it. Check out my video on types of storage tanks ruclips.net/video/bsfSTDxI49M/видео.html
I have one of those foam pool noodle looking ones on it, was hoping that would do the trick but apparently not.. at least winter is almost over, will need to figure out something for next year.
Yes, a heat lamp is a light bulb. Basically a nichrome wire element encased inside an evacuated glass envelope. And, yes, you do not know when it will fail. An electric space heater is basically a similar wire element 'encased' in the heater case and exposed to the open air and dust and such - and you do not know when it might fail, either. Or if or when it might ignite a fire in that wooden bldg. A couple of points. Why (try to) heat a 1000 cu ft building to keep a 1" diameter pipe from freezing? If you encase the exposed pipe in a smaller enclosure it takes less energy to keep the enclosed piping from freezing - a light bulb might be all you need. Better yet an old string of incandescent Xmas lights so the number of bulbs offers some insurance against 'the bulb burning out." Coupled with a temp controlled outlet it is unlikely all the seven-watt bulbs in the string with fail in any given season.
The fact this guy is still responding to a video from 2014 in 2019 on a regular basis earns my respect these days. Video was chock full of info. Way to go dude. I got my answer. I'm doing it right! But I like to hear it sometimes.
i am glad to be able to help.
Thank you for making this video. You saved me so much time, money, and frustration. I'm moving into my first well drilled home and you have aleved my fears.😁🇺🇸💖
Heat lamp is nice because you can direct the heat where you really need it and they are incredibly long lasting bulbs.
The thermo cube is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the info! One suggestion I would have is that your equipment should be anchored well to the structure so that if there is a seismic event, you won't overstress you piping or have your tank fall over. Thanks again.
This video was SUPER helpful this time last week when getting ready for the Arctic Blast - saved my bacon, THANKS!
...just ordered an "Add-A-Stat" Thermostatically Controlled In-line plug from Amazon to control my space heater.
Thanks for the thermocube and space heater suggestion.....great advice!
Thank you bud. Just bought a house with a well. With winter coming up you were more than clutch
These guys put a water system in for me about two weeks ago…fantastic company…water…one less thing to worry about 👍 I highly recommend
Thank you for great tips that I did not know about.
Another good thing to mention would be solar power with backup battery. Or a generator. Some people may experience ice storms and power outages. Then none of that works, except the insulation. With backup power, you're definitely covered. Thanks for sharing! I'm planning for our well pump system install and found your video helpful.
Bluetera good point
Great video, sir…thanks!
Our pump/cistern froze up a couple of days ago (we live in Montana) highs were -23 and lows with wind chill were -51…
Good news is it’s supposed to get above zero tomorrow or the next day!
Great video thank you for sharing it helped a lot
Excellent. Thank you
Make sure that well house space heater is analog, NOT digital. I've had the power go out indoors and when it comes back on, the digital heaters don't turn back on. I have that exact same heater in the video in my well house; works like a champ.
Thank You Sir 👍👌👍
Do have a brand or type of heater.
Thanks!
A simple 60-watt incandescent bulb on a timer is enough to keep pumps and pipes in a noninsulated shed from freezing.
thank you from boerne, tx
Glad we could help.
Hey Jim, great video, thanks. Have you looked into thermal jackets for the water pressure tank itself? Also, what are your thoughts on PEX and its better resistance to expansion?
Where we are, we don't get cold enough to have damage to pressure tanks due to freeze. If you are in an area that gets that cold, then that would be a great way to fix the problem. I like PEX for its expansion properties. We don't use it on our controls section of the plumbing because we have so many fittings to add in that it would just bust the fittings. But, for long runs, we use it in water lines all the time.
@@jimblair1 All good stuff, thanks again.
Hey Jim! We have a two-room cabin on concrete blocks in the North Woods. Underneath the house is open and we have a wooden box built around the outside pump. We usually leave in the beginning of October. We might have a night or two that's 30 32 degrees, days in the 40s 50s. Then the nights kick back up into the 40s with the days in the 50s. My question is when do we need to get out of town. Do the Lows have to be in the 30s consistently for two or three days with the highs also in the 30s or could it freeze with just one or two nights in the 30s. Thank you in advance.
A small water pipe can freeze solid with only a few hours below freezing. Check out my video on freeze misers. This is another great tool that can protect your pipes without the hassle of installing insulation.
Thanks for the video. What do you think about "heat tape" wrapped around the above ground pipes around the well? George, Smithville TX
Heat tape is a great product if installed properly and if the power stays on. We use it for some applications.
@@jimblair1 I have heat tape on inside our pumphouse I wonder if you could rig a battery and solar panel to help in longer power outages?
extremely good advice every homeowner should know if they dont live in a city. what i dont get is why you cannot build on top of a well. it would keep it insulated and pipes wont ever burst. yes, i know wells can collapse, but this isnt the 1800's. i am sure there is a way to get it to work.
When the submersible pump needs to be replaced, you have to pull the pump up through the casing. Normally it is in 20' joints of rigid pipe. If you have a hole in your roof (like a skylight) then you can build over it in many cases. But, it will slow our crew down and you are paying by the hour to change the pump. Another option is to replace your pipe with a flexible pipe or hose that won't require the hole in the roof. This is not always feasible depending upon many conditions. You will need to consult with your local well contractor about this before doing. i have redrilled a few wells in my life because we were not able to service a well because the homeowner built around it too much.
Where did you get the thermo cube? Make and model? Thanks for the video!
you can buy them at local feed and hardware stores or online. Amazon has lots of options.
Just moved to NC and this morning there was no water in our place cause I’m assuming some pipes froze. Was not fun! I found the well water pump, it was under a fake boulder that’s a cover. Can I run a portable 250 watt halogen work and keep it under the cover?
Anything that creates heat will help. Just make sure it isn't a fire hazard. Many people burn down their well equipment by not watching out for fires.
Hi Jim. We're in W Central Missouri and trying to decide whether to change our old deep well pump to a new solar with backup AC, or to get an above ground tank (rainwater catchment), sink its bottom 42" deep with buried pipes to root cellar where pressure tank is. Any thoughts? Could an aerator in the tank keep the water from freezing? Would a poly tank stand the bottom 42" in ground? Thanks.
I don't think it would be wise for you take advice from a Texan about how to freeze protect a well up in the frozen tundra of Missouri. But, if I lived there, I would probably build an insulated, heated pump house and keep my tank above ground in there. Most tanks are not designed to withstand ground pressure. They will do alright as long as the tank stays full, but if the water level drops, your tank could collapse. Not much of a problem with a metal propane tank. But, if you find a tank that can withstand ground pressure and you keep it deep enough, it will work. An aerator might help but i wouldn't count on that tiny piece of equipment to save you.
@@jimblair1 thanks for sharing "what you would do." I respect your opinion very much. We have heating our root cellar in the coldest nights to protect the pipes and pressure tank. Your videos (I've watched another one, too) are very helpful! Thanks again.
Hey nice video! If we were putting a pump system into a seasonal home would it be bad to just let it freeze when we left for the winter? (We would drain the tank before we left of course!)
As long as you completely drain all tanks, pipes, etc. the equipment will not be damaged due to a freeze. But it may be hard to get all the water out depending upon how your system is set up. You may need compressed air to get the job done fully. Good luck!
Thanks!@@jimblair1 I'll sure be willing to put in a little extra work when closing up camp. Which is much easier than having to worry all year.
Do you build the well house using all pressure treated lumber? About to build ours and wondering if we should use all pressure treated or not.
Most people dont do that but there is nothing wrong with that idea. If leaks happen, it will not rot the wood as fast. Good idea.
Our well head is outside of the well house. The previous owner put a plastic bucket around it with the top of the bucket cut off so the well head was exposed to the air… and threw a few nasty bathroom rugs on top of it. Wow! What can I do to keep the well head from damage or freezing?
Heat tape is great if you have a power source. But at the very least, some insulation. How much you need depends upon how cold it gets where you are.
I have a shallow well pump in my basement it's not insulated would some heat tape on low placed on the pump protect it from freezing
Yes. If the power stays on. But if its in a basement, a small space heater will work too
Any good ways to keep the pump house from freezing up if the power goes out? Other ideas than a generator?
A propane heater. $40.00 online
www.zoro.com/dyna-glo-tank-top-portable-gas-heater-liquid-propane-9000-to-15-000-btuh-tt15cdgp/i/G3769357/?pla=true&gclid=Cj0KCQiAst2BBhDJARIsAGo2ldV4-Y2lOAmlFj3XLAMkYXhyOOLXGpNM9K8D-2W94Ra6mIG-TWJiWOsaAkExEALw_wcB
I have a well without a well house. There is just what looks like a rock over the pump. I dont have a storage tank, the line runs up to a spicket and then i have a heated hose to my rv. Can the pump or the spicket freeze? The water line is burried, can that freeze? Help please no water is running in my rv. What to i do? Was i supposed to trickle the water inside the rv like u do a house?
This all depends on where you live. If you are in Central Mexico, probably not. If you are in Nebraska, it probably already is frozen. If you live near me in Texas, then you probably are fine with anything buried. But everything else can freeze. We have seen pipes freeze up to 6" deep underground here.
So I run a 550 gallon storage tank, if the tank is getting super cold, even icing up on the top. Is it ok to run water right back into it to keep the pump running over night? The water in the storage tank is cold right? So is it better to run the water or not?
If you keep the water running enough circulating through the tank it won't freeze. How much depends upon how cold it gets where you are. Here in Texas 2 gpm is plenty. If you live at the North pole you might need 100 gpm.
*Laughs in 5°F*
My PEX did alright... my "drained" PVC *all* broke lol. 1-1/4" well pipes frozen solid. Luckily drained my pressure tank before.
Yes, we are looking at switching to pex for that very reason.
How about keeping the pipes going to the house from freezing? Not sure this would work here in Canada with temp down to -30c
I'm just telling you what you need here in Texas. For you folks that live around the North Pole, you gonna have to ask Santa what to do.
@@jimblair1 I just asked Santa and he confirms that you are the expert
Hi Jim, unfortunately I saw this video too late that said trickle instead of trip. Our well isn’t in a well house we wrapped it yesterday evening right before temps plummeted. This morning no water. How can I unfreeze either my pump or find the source? We have pex piping indoors
I am sorry but i saw this posting too late. Iam hoping by now that you have everything thawed out and working.
I’m about to be fixing my well we just moved into this house and wasn’t prepared for this cold snap. I’ll be insulating the well house for sure. The water system was Jerry rigged I’m going back with how it should be. I’m also going to add a heater. My system doesn’t have a booster pump does that just increase water pressure?
Booster pumps are use for 2 main purposes. Boosting city water and pushing water from a storage tank to a pressure tank. See my video on storage tanks. ruclips.net/video/fTJrRpVkiTI/видео.html
But, there are other tings you can do to increase the water pressure. Check out this video on adjusting the pressure. ruclips.net/video/Vv4gY35byY4/видео.html
Then, check to make sure you have no restrictions. filters, small piping, partially closed valves can all reduce pressure.
Bee Cave Drilling thanks for the reply I got it all fixed how it should be, still no booster pump, however with only one reduction and everything else plumbed right I removed several unneeded feet of pipe and pointless valves, my water pressure practically doubled I’m very happy with it now. The storage tank really interest me and I can see the benefits in it I’ll be looking more into it
There are many good brands. Just look for a "milkhouse heater" or "utility heater". You can buy good ones for $30 online.
I set up one of those oil filled radiator type space heaters in my pump house that has a frost proof setting and I think they retain heat longer after they kick off.
@@DavidGlover guys, any type of heater that doesn't use electricity will work. i used a propane heater that sits on top of a 5 gallon bottle. It burned for several days and kept my pumphouse toasty.
I was going to build a small shed to enclose my well but then thought
what happens if the submersible pump fails over time...may have to
rip it all down to replace that pump or service the well...thoughts?
Thank you. Great information
Pump houses over the well are quite popular. Just make sure you have a removable roof or a skylight directly over the well head.
A 24" X 24" skylight is best but we can usually work with an 18".
What’s the purpose of a booster pump? I don’t have one down here in south Texas, Corpus area my well is only 130ft when we change pumps we pull it out by hand save a lot of money
We install a lot of storage tank systems where the well fills the storage tank. Then you need a booster pump to put the water back under pressure. Check out the video. ruclips.net/video/fTJrRpVkiTI/видео.html
Hi I buy a property in Arizona it have a well with a 5" steel casing and you have a PVC pipe inside the inside of the PVC pipe is 4 1/4 kenai install a 4" pump on it or have to be 3" pump I will appreciate it so much if you answer me thank you
The main casing we use is 4.5". That allows us to install a 4" pump inside. You can install a 4" pump inside 4" casing if the casing is not too thick. 4" will fit inside 4" sch. 40 or thinner, but will not fit inside 4" sdr-17 or sch. 80 pipe. We use 4.5" to avoid this issue. when we use sch. 80 casing, we step up to 5". Another consideration is flow. If you have a 4" pump inside 4" sch. 40 casing, you should limit your flow to about 12 gpm. You need to make sure you have enough room beside the pump for the water to flow.
Another option is to get a slim line pump (3.75") or use a 3" pump if your casing is too small for a 4" pump.
@@jimblair1 thank you soon much I think I have to go to 3" because it's a share well for 2 house's I want to put a 35 gallons per minute pump
Make sure you see my video about the freeze mizer. It is an awesome product
If one is away from the house, is cutting the power to the pump and then draining the lines a way to prevent freezing..?
This will work if you can actually drain the water. But in most cases, you will need an air compressor to blow the water out if the pipes. Trapped water will still freeze.
Why would those exterior pipes not come up through the slab?
To quote Robert Burns: “The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley.” Translation: "Sometimes when you build a shed, you don't realize its real purpose is a pump house."
Put the pump house inside a utility room in the house and put your water storage tank underground...only insulate the pipes...what you think??
Hey, if you have the means to do that, you should be protected from freezing. But, be careful about installing storage tanks underground. #1 issue is possible contamination of the water. Second issue is the tank popping out of the ground. It can be done, but it needs to be done right or you will regret it. Check out my video on types of storage tanks ruclips.net/video/bsfSTDxI49M/видео.html
@@jimblair1 ok thx
Why the hell do wells use 1/4" pipe for the pressure switch? It freezes very easily and is a real pain in the ass
The real reason is that it really hard to make them 1/8". They are always wanting to save a dime. Get some good insulation.
I have one of those foam pool noodle looking ones on it, was hoping that would do the trick but apparently not.. at least winter is almost over, will need to figure out something for next year.
You can also use heat tape.
Yes, a heat lamp is a light bulb. Basically a nichrome wire element encased inside an evacuated glass envelope. And, yes, you do not know when it will fail. An electric space heater is basically a similar wire element 'encased' in the heater case and exposed to the open air and dust and such - and you do not know when it might fail, either. Or if or when it might ignite a fire in that wooden bldg. A couple of points. Why (try to) heat a 1000 cu ft building to keep a 1" diameter pipe from freezing? If you encase the exposed pipe in a smaller enclosure it takes less energy to keep the enclosed piping from freezing - a light bulb might be all you need. Better yet an old string of incandescent Xmas lights so the number of bulbs offers some insurance against 'the bulb burning out." Coupled with a temp controlled outlet it is unlikely all the seven-watt bulbs in the string with fail in any given season.
Look at that insulation. It is NOT installed properly at all! Waste of $$
Bla bla bla