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Nobadays
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# Posted: 17 Nov 2020 12:46pm
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So, we had under the floors in our crawlspace sprayed with closed cell foam, about 4 inches. They didn't spray the bottom of the joists and pretty much only down each side 4-6 inches is covered. This leaves roughly 6 inches exposed wood on each joist that heat can migrate through. Plus, ground heat.
We have been monitoring the temperature under the cabin via a digital sensor hanging in the air, actually only about 3 feet from the outside skirting. Even at temps as low as 6*F it was 34*F under the cabin. We even have a relatively loose fitting, 10'x3' access door on the west side.... from inside you can see daylight pretty much all the way around it. The cabin is on piers with just metal siding as skirting, buried about 6" in the ground and fastened between the outside piers. Currently spray foam sealing/sort of the top and sides of the metal where it meets the wood.
We are considering sealing off the access door, or at least tightening it up with a jamb of some sort, then having the perimeter spray foamed. Our thoughts are it may take some pretty low temps to freeze under there with that done. THEN.... here is where we get to the bladder, putting an 800 gallon potable water bladder under there. Does anyone have experience with water bladders under their cabins? Presently rodents can get under the access door, hope to seal that off and at least one other place where they have dug under the metal skirting (before anyone mentions it, no I am not going to pour a concrete perimeter for the metal to rest on... cement trucks cannot get up here and I ain't mixing it by hand!). We will possibly bury 1/4" hardware cloth where needed to discourage digging under. BUT....
My wife and I too want to know if anyone knows if rodents will/would chew on these bladders? Experience please... heck we can guess it's possible.... just wondering if they are treated to discourage chewing or if these bladders don't interest rodents. We know of several huge bladders set up for forest/community fire protection water storage. These in the open forest areas.
Experience, knowledge about the use of bladders? Thanks!
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FishHog
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# Posted: 17 Nov 2020 02:59pm
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no experience with bladders but I think I would monitor the temps under there through the winter. Still lots of heat in the ground, but in another couple of months you might find it significantly colder down there.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 17 Nov 2020 03:30pm
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FishHog... good advice! We will be here through January so will monitor it until then for sure. All the newer cabins up here have continuous concrete foundations where they used the foam forms to pour it, then left the forms on. None of those freeze during the winter.... even without heat in the cabins. Most stay right around 40*F all year round, with a little higher in the summer. That's what has got us thinking.
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mj1angier
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# Posted: 17 Nov 2020 06:05pm
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Not sure of the bladder that you are looking at but here is the instructions for one:
https://www.aireindustrial.net/amfilerating/file/download/file_id/252/
Says to make sure not mice because they like to chew on them.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 17 Nov 2020 11:26pm
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Mj... thanks for this. Apparently mice/rodents are an issue. I guess I will have to double my efforts to rodent proof the crawlspace.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 18 Nov 2020 06:00am - Edited by: Brettny
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With 4in of spray foam and un insulated metal skirting I wouldnt think your picking up any heat through your floor.
Never used or saw a bladder like your wanting to use. Have you thought about useing two lower plastic tanks? Mice usualy dont chew them.
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Atlincabin
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# Posted: 18 Nov 2020 08:40am
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I agree with Brettny, a couple of poly tanks might be a better option, provided you can get them under the cabin. And critters won't be liable to chew through them as they are pretty thick and tough.
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 18 Nov 2020 08:44am
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Brettny.... yes we have, saw 2, 305 gallon pickup water hauling tanks on craigslist... 1 was $300, the other was $250. They were 30" high which was perfect, we have about 34" at the access door. Linking those two would have given us 600 gallons.... our outside cistern is 550, so more or less equivalent. But snow moved in and we weren't driving over Wolf Creek pass to get them. Now that the pass is probably clear I can't find them listed.
Then started looking at bladders, another neighbor installed one this year, they have a full perimeter foundation but the builder hadn't put a tank under the cabin before building. I found the 800 gallon bladder at Tankandbarrel.com for $586.00/~$65 shipping. I was looking at a 525 gallon but for $60.00 more the 800 would fit fine in our crawlspace.
Here's A LINK to the bladder. A picture below.
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