Well accessories building designs?

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JoeJee

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I have my tank, filters, and water softener inside the house. I am wanting to move this all out for better accessibility and prevent flood inside of something breaks.

I live on a hill so I can make the back side of a room next to the well almost totally underground and the sides mostly underground. It would be placed next to the well so I can have the pump pulled if I ever need.

Now to my question: how big and what would you do if you were building a tank/filter house? I will run a dedicated electrical line for a sub panel. I do have a CSV but would like to plan for an 80-120gal tank b/c future owners may not want a smaller tank.

How would you build something that would work? What problems do you have with your current well house?

Should I insulate below grade?
Should I have a concrete floor or something else?
How big of a door should be there?

I have done a lot of reading on how to build something but have not found much individual thoughts and feedback.
 

Reach4

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How is the frost line there? You could put the building over the well, but make it disassemble for well access. Insulate with XPS foam insulation, and that should prevent freezing.

Will you have both 240 and 120 out of your subpanel? Probably and handy, but not totally necessary.
 

JoeJee

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How is the frost line there? You could put the building over the well, but make it disassemble for well access. Insulate with XPS foam insulation, and that should prevent freezing.

Will you have both 240 and 120 out of your subpanel? Probably and handy, but not totally necessary.

I thought about bringing the well into the inclosure but that would require a ventilated building (you cant air seal a well cap), increase moisture issues since I can’t properly seal a removable roof and the well would be open to the building, and be a problem if I don’t have time to remove the roof. There are other concerns such as alignment/space and such but the above were my more concerning thoughts.

Figured I would run a 6-3 w/g to the building and provide a 60 amp 240/120 sub panel. That way I can have my 20-30 amp breaker for pump and any 120v accessories needed (lights, water softener, and UV light for example).

I can get 2” xps unfaced 4x8 sheets for less than $20 so that would be my initial thought for any exterior insulation. Would CMU construction or monolithic pour be better? Any thoughts on the first posts questions?

Edit: frost line is around 18-24” depending on who you talk to. I try for 24 but most are done 12-18” because of the terrain. I have found some 50+ year old buildings with 3/4 water lines at less than 6” for short span.
 

Valveman

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I do have a CSV but would like to plan for an 80-120gal tank b/c future owners may not want a smaller tank.
Why would anyone want to go back to old technology? It won't take a very large well house if you use the 4.5 or 10 gallon tank with the Cycle Stop Valve as that is all you need. A pitless adapter at the well and the PK1A in the crawlspace or house would prevent everything from freezing even when the power is off, as that is when most well houses freeze up.
 

Reach4

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A building not using extraordinary techniques would never be so tight as to be a problem for a well.

On your first post questions, I did not ignore them... I just did not have good answers. But let me comment:
the best way to insulate would be to have the XPS go into the earth to cause heat escaping to have a longer path. Even better would have the insulation play out to the side near ground level. That would let the heat coming up thru the earth in the winter help keep the building warmer. But it would also take more insulation.

Dana used to post really good stuff on use of EPS and XPS insulation.


Floor? concrete is durable, of course. I would have a slope and drain in case you want to wash the well house. Also, if the pressure tank ever fails, you might have to drill big holes to get out the water above the diaphragm. These things last for many years.
 

JoeJee

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Why would anyone want to go back to old technology? It won't take a very large well house if you use the 4.5 or 10 gallon tank with the Cycle Stop Valve as that is all you need. A pitless adapter at the well and the PK1A in the crawlspace or house would prevent everything from freezing even when the power is off, as that is when most well houses freeze up.

Who knows why someone would. I just know your CSV isn’t that common here. Eventually I will be gone and a different owner/plumber can decide to keep a CVS or go with a traditional setup with a Big A$$ Tank. In the mean time, it gives me more space for other stuff if needed. Like having space for a water softener, yard sprinkler system, chemical injection….

A building not using extraordinary techniques would never be so tight as to be a problem for a well.

On your first post questions, I did not ignore them... I just did not have good answers. But let me comment:
the best way to insulate would be to have the XPS go into the earth to cause heat escaping to have a longer path. Even better would have the insulation play out to the side near ground level. That would let the heat coming up thru the earth in the winter help keep the building warmer. But it would also take more insulation.

Dana used to post really good stuff on use of EPS and XPS insulation.


Floor? concrete is durable, of course. I would have a slope and drain in case you want to wash the well house. Also, if the pressure tank ever fails, you might have to drill big holes to get out the water above the diaphragm. These things last for many years.
I didn’t take you as ignoring my questions; sorry it came off that way. It was more of an attempt to get others to answer if possible. I am not against using more insulation if it is beneficial so thank you for your suggestions. I will probably have a very Tight building envelope unless that would be a problem.


Anyone have thoughts on a good internal size to build the space?
 

Valveman

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Who knows why someone would. I just know your CSV isn’t that common here.?
CSV's are very common in your area, and have been for 30 years. It is just that people who have one never have any pump problems, so you don't hear about CSV's like you do all the systems with problems. Big pressure tanks have been going away like the Dodo bird for decades now.
 
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