# Well House heater...



## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

Don't know if this should be here or not.
I need to find a cheap and low energy use electric heater for my well-house. I have found one that is specially made for well-houses and other specialty areas, they are $150 and need to be hard wired in. Looking for something cheaper, smaller and use little power. 
I know I can use light bulbs, I have one 40 watt and a 60 watt bulb on, but that obviously wasn't good enough. I don't want to use higher watt bulbs and risk a fire, well-house is just 10ft from the house and it's all clapboard, it'll burn like mad!
Ideas?
I know I can wrap the pipes, but I want something else, something that will keep everything in there above freezing.


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

Hubby insulated ours with the silver (foil) backed insulation, then we just used the lightbulb. This kept our goin when we lived in OK. Had a 10 day stretch where the temp never went above zero. I would think it would be best to insulate, either the inside, outside or both, then try the lightbulb again.


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## coup (Feb 28, 2007)

insulation is very good.....

my daughter has a cement block one and a few years ago,,,,,i wired a recepticle
and plugged the water pump in one side and a temp switch that kicks on like 34 degrees,(off 37).. temp switch-recepticle ,,i then plugged in a small electric heater,,,,,i usually check the heater every fall and make sure the roof doesn't leak, .......reading it doesn't sound right but hope you get my drift.........


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

Well house is cinder block up t 3.5ft or so and then 2.5ft of wood and then the A frame wood roof with shingles. Walls are insulated, need to insulate the roof. Pipes have new foam black pipe wrap from lowes. But even with that, being blocked from wind by the chicken coop and the lights on, it still froze...


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Any kind of heater used with this outlet.

http://www.dockbubbler.com/Thermostatically_controlled_outlet.asp

Insulation will also be essential. More heat is lost through the roof than the walls. If you don't insulate the roof, you might as well forget the whole thing.


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

True.

It's a tiny, creepy space and the insulation is an itchy pain to install... =(


Oh, bought Lowes' EasyHeat Freeze Free plug.


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Insulate.

Use the foil backed sheet insulation, relatively cheap and easy to put up. Better than fiberglass.


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## goatlady (May 31, 2002)

Just get heat tape and put on all the exposed pipes. They have in-line thermostats and will only come on when temps are lower than 32. Not expensive to run, just plug in and forget till spring. I even wrapped one around the pressure tank since my old one froze one time!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Tinker said:


> Hubby insulated ours with the silver (foil) backed insulation, then we just used the lightbulb. This kept our goin when we lived in OK. Had a 10 day stretch where the temp never went above zero. I would think it would be best to insulate, either the inside, outside or both, then try the lightbulb again.


This is what we do (in NW Illinois). We also have insulation loosely packed down in the ground where the pump is, and the inside of the pump house is insulated. Just a 100 watt bulb in there. No worries in the past 10.5 years, except when we get a long, long cold snap (usually in Feb) ... then it is caused by the buried pipe that freezes, not the pump itself.

This is the pump we use for the barn ... our house pump is actually in the basement. not up to code these days, but our 100+ yo house is grandfathered in.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

For a quick fix look for a "milk house heater." Walmart/Lowes?/TSC? The outlet is good.

You can fix it so a light bulb takes care of the issue after the cold snap.

If you have frozen pipes now, remember they can spray when they thaw, not so good for outlets and heaters.

Hair dryer and patience work well on frozen pipes.

Heat tape is also a good option.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

goatlady said:


> Just get heat tape and put on all the exposed pipes. They have in-line thermostats and will only come on when temps are lower than 32. Not expensive to run, just plug in and forget till spring. I even wrapped one around the pressure tank since my old one froze one time!


I would also wrap the pipe with fiberglass once you get the heat tape fastened to the pipe and you should be good to go and for a lot less than buying and running a heater.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

My well box is insulated with 2" thick styrafoam. Not itchy and can be cut to fit. 

Here in the deep freeze the temps can hit -50 and then add windchill. At those temps I have to heat the whole thing or the pump and pressure tank freeze. Two light bulbs worked fine until they both burned out at the same time and I didn't notice. The pump froze and cracked. The price of a new pump buys a whole lot of electricity so now there is a ceramic heater in there backing up the light bulbs. 

I do have a generator ready in case the power goes off.

I'm not sure what to do when the EPA's ban on incandecent bulbs goes into effect. You already can't buy 100 watt bulbs. The others are being phased out. An example of nanny government.


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## meanwhile (Dec 13, 2007)

A neighbor had a good idea to paint his well house black. The sun hits two sides of it during the day and the sun heats it inside even when cold outside. It helps enough, he says, so far nothing has frozen even with a light bulb in there. 

Lots of insulation helps too. 

We pulled dirt up on two sides of our well house. We had those cement round things over it and so we just shoved dirt up to insulate on those sides. 

Good luck.


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## ronron (Feb 4, 2009)

I insulated with the ridgid foam insulation and used a light bulb, I did do a dropped celing over the pump and pipes with more insulation liquid nails and lath strips so the space is much smaller and the light only has to heat the smaller space so the celing is double insulated


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Nimrod said:


> SNIP
> 
> I'm not sure what to do when the EPA's ban on incandecent bulbs goes into effect. You already can't buy 100 watt bulbs. The others are being phased out. An example of nanny government.


Just get several of the CFL bulbs instead. I have 4 13 W in my wellhouse, and since they last a lot longer than incandescents, there is less chance of them all going out at the same time.

I should go check them weekly, but do not.

BTW, I have ALL CFL in my house, love them, my electric bill is much lower since I put them in 4+ years ago. I can almost always find them on clearance, and so pay $1-$2 each for mine. I just keep stocked up.


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

The CFL, doesn't put out enough heat. We use one of those oil filled "radiator" type heaters attached to a thermocube http://www.apelectric.com/TC-3-Thermo-Cube-Plug-in-Thermostat-15A-p/tc3.htmhttp://www.apelectric.com/TC-3-Thermo-Cube-Plug-in-Thermostat-15A-p/tc3.htm Works great. On at 35Âº off at 45Âº. You can find then for about $13.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

My pump/tank is in the corner of a unheated 10x12 storage building. I use a regular heating pad. It lays right across the pump(not motor) then I throw a couple old comforters over everything. The heat pad has 3 levels of heat, here I just keep it on low. I been using the same heat pad for several years, but only use it when needed. I feel its safer than a bulb.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

I have used these for years, and they work great.

http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-TC-3-Thermostatically-Controlled/dp/B0006U2HD2

Be sure you get the TC-3 model as they make others for diesel motor heaters etc.
then use a reflector heat lamp socket and cord. (or two to keep it from freezing if one bulb burns out) They will both plug into one thermo-cube. Do not use a "high efficiency bulb" simply the now old-fashioned ones if you can still get them. Mount the light to shine directly onto the pipes, but keep the reflector several inches away from any wood, or insulation paper. We kept our well house protected with a 60 watt bulb, but it was well insulated. The light will turn off when the air around the cube reaches 45 F, and will come back on when the temperature reaches 35 F.

Many farm stores carry these, just be sure you get the TC-3 model.

The cube will carry the current necessary for any household electric heater (such as a "milk house" heater) but they may provide much more heat than you need and you will have a higher electric bill.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

o&itw said:


> I have used these for years, and they work great.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-TC-3-Thermostatically-Controlled/dp/B0006U2HD2
> 
> ...


I always keep a few of these cubes around. They are great to use with a heat lamp for small animals in the barn when you don't need the heat when the temperature is above freezing.


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## FarmerRob (May 25, 2009)

GoldenCityMuse said:


> Just get several of the CFL bulbs instead. I have 4 13 W in my wellhouse, and since they last a lot longer than incandescents, there is less chance of them all going out at the same time.
> 
> I should go check them weekly, but do not.
> 
> BTW, I have ALL CFL in my house, love them, my electric bill is much lower since I put them in 4+ years ago. I can almost always find them on clearance, and so pay $1-$2 each for mine. I just keep stocked up.


CFLs don't put out heat worth a toot and are useless in this application. 

Incandescents are not banned they are, however, required to have an increased level of efficiency. That means they will cost lots more than before. Uncle Sam, always looking out for us--guess we are too child-like to pick out the right bulb for ourselves.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> The cube will carry the current necessary for any household electric heater (such as a "milk house" heater) but they *may provide much more heat than you need* and you will have a higher electric bill.


They would only put out enough heat to keep it above freezing, since it would cycle on and off due to the ThermoCube.

Electrical consumption should be about the same to produce the* same amount of heat* no matter what device is used


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## 74aggie (Nov 8, 2016)

I have ordered a WHT500 Qmark Electric Utility Heater made for well houses. They say it needs to be 3 feet from combustible material. The melting point of the PVC pipe is 140 C or 284 F. The tanks are fiberglass. Has anyone had any issues with this? I do not have 3 foot clearance.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

74aggie said:


> I have ordered a WHT500 Qmark Electric Utility Heater made for well houses. They say it needs to be 3 feet from combustible material. The melting point of the PVC pipe is 140 C or 284 F. The tanks are fiberglass. Has anyone had any issues with this? I do not have 3 foot clearance.


Curious what the difference is between what you ordered and a normal electric base heater? 
I just have an electric base heater in my well shed...hardwired, with thermostat. I have it a couple inches off floor in case I flood shed. 

3' feet?! Hmmm....the thing is just a radiant heater, so I cannot see it burning anything. Heat rises straight up on mine...doesn't focus heat. 
If it is like a normal electric baseboard heater I cannot see it burning anything, as long as you don't stick anything flammable through grill, and mount it on a chunk of non-combustible material, like backer board or drywall.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

74aggie said:


> I have ordered a WHT500 Qmark Electric Utility Heater made for well houses. They say it needs to be 3 feet from combustible material. The melting point of the PVC pipe is 140 C or 284 F. The tanks are fiberglass. Has anyone had any issues with this? I do not have 3 foot clearance.


 Sounds like a over-kill---500 watts---that could get you a good electric bill if it runs a lot. Here is the deal in my opinion----no need to heat the whole pump house---heat just the pump area by covering the pump, pipe, tank, etc with something that will well insulate it---I use thick comforters that I pick up cheap at yardsales---use what ever you want to use. These are good heaters you can get is different wattage 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/150W-110V-C...357128?hash=item2a4a311548:g:q64AAOSw~bFWGa98 plugged into a thermos cube---placed where you need the most heat but not on something that will burn. I stated above I use heat pads---I buy the older ones from yard sales etc that stay on all the time---works good in my area on low.


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## 74aggie (Nov 8, 2016)

I also ordered the thermo cube. Heater may be over-kill and I pulled the trigger too quick. I like the heat pads idea. Thanks


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Fire-Man said:


> *Sounds like a over-kill---500 watts---that could get you a good electric bill if it runs a lot.* Here is the deal in my opinion----no need to heat the whole pump house---heat just the pump area by covering the pump, pipe, tank, etc with something that will well insulate it---I use thick comforters that I pick up cheap at yardsales---use what ever you want to use. These are good heaters you can get is different wattage
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/150W-110V-C...357128?hash=item2a4a311548:g:q64AAOSw~bFWGa98 plugged into a thermos cube---placed where you need the most heat but not on something that will burn. I stated above I use heat pads---I buy the older ones from yard sales etc that stay on all the time---works good in my area on low.


It really wouldn't use any more electricity than a smaller wattage heater that would have to run longer to generate the same amount of heat.

All electrical resistance heaters put out heat in direct proportion to the power that goes in. Multiplying the watts by 3.41 will tell you the btu per hour output.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/figure-btus-electric-heater-73701.html

Just plug it into a Thermocube or set the heater's thermostat to keep it just above freezing and it will do the job at the lowest possible cost.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Bearfootfarm said:


> It really wouldn't use any more electricity than a smaller wattage heater that would have to run longer to generate the same amount of heat.
> 
> All electrical resistance heaters put out heat in direct proportion to the power that goes in. Multiplying the watts by 3.41 will tell you the btu per hour output.
> 
> ...


True, true, but what I am saying is a person should not try to heat a big pump house----only the area of the pump---so 500 watts is a lot to heat a few square feet. My pump is in the corner of a 8x12 storage building---I only heat a few square feet of where the pump/tank is.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Fire-Man said:


> True, true, but what I am saying is a person should not try to heat a big pump house----only the area of the pump---so 500 watts is a lot to heat a few square feet. My pump is in the corner of a 8x12 storage building---I only heat a few square feet of where the pump/tank is.


That's fine until a pipe a few feet from the pump freezes.

Then the cost of repairs will be more than the few pennies saved by not heating all the exposed plumbing. 

If the space is well insulated the heater won't use much more power than the heating pad.

The OP really isn't trying to heat a large area, and a few sheets of foam insulation can make it even smaller.

The average cost of a kilowatt hour is only 12 cents, and that would run the heater continuously for two hours.

If three feet of clearance *from flammables* is needed for the heater, it's easy to make a heat shield using a couple of pieces of sheet metal with a one inch space between them, or a few cinderblocks that would also add thermal mass to retain heat when it cycles off.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Bearfootfarm said:


> That's fine until a pipe a few feet from the pump freezes.
> 
> Then the cost of repairs will be more than the few pennies saved by not heating all the exposed plumbing.
> 
> ...


True, True, True, True!

Me I just put all my pipes close together where I do not have them all over the pump house-----all within a few square feet. If one had to go across the room and it was one being used I would wrap it with heat tape(really I would re-route it) and still use a small heat source to warm the few square feet where the pump and all the other lines are. My deal is trying to run 500 watts to heat the pump house would be tough on my off grid solar system----so I think---keep everything close with a small amount of heat.


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