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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / avoid freezing of harvested rain water?
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jshane
Member
# Posted: 16 Oct 2011 07:54pm
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For those that use harvested rainwater year round how do you keep it from freezing? I'll be installing a few 275 gallon totes and store them outside what action should i take to keep the water inside them from freezing? Thanks in advance!

Vince P
Member
# Posted: 16 Oct 2011 09:41pm - Edited by: Vince P
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The past three years I've just let it freeze. This has caused some damage to my tank's pipes which was easily repairable, but nevertheless I'm thinking of letting it drain this year.
In order to keep from freezing, your best bet is to bury your supply underground. How deep depends on your location, with the best depth being below frost line.
The inherent problem with this is the pipe from the below ground to your cabin. Maybe a heavily insulated pipe would work, but the trick is to allow the pipe to drain back into the tank when not in use.
Another option if possible, is to pump water from an underground tank to an indoor tank.
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MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 17 Oct 2011 09:49pm
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Wehave a livestock tank (300 gal poly) we use to store irrigation water. I hate to dump the water but left alone the outlet valve freezes and breaks, losing the water when it thaws anyhow. The outlet is threaded with a 1 1/2 pipe thread. In late fall, like about now, I remove the cover and reach down through whatever water is still there and install a thread in plug (with lots of teflon tape) from the inside of the outlet. The water in the tsnk can freeze and thaw all winter and there is no problem with the tank. Over the winter snow melt off the roof will fill the tank to overflowing. In spring I brave the cold water again and remove the plug and we have irrigation water again.

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