If you use any sort of storage tank in an outdoor environment or underground, you could potentially be putting them at risk of freezing, cracking, and ultimately leaking. So what can you do to prevent this from happening? This guide will give you some options on how to prepare your storage tanks for the winter months and keep your storage tanks from being damaged.
Ever walked down into a basement on a hot summer day or a cold winter night? The temperature is somehow always has that opposite of what is going on above ground. Well it’s because soil is a good and cheap insulator. If you buried your tank twenty feet down, you can have a constant temperature of 45 degrees fahrenheit throughout the year. The downside is it’s tough to properly maintenance a tank. This means it will typically take machinery to place or extract it from it’s resting place.
What’s better than soil? Insulation, of course! Depending on the size of storage tank, you are going to wrap up for the winter. And thanks to Energystar, you can find out what recommended R-Values to have for above ground storage tanks or something that is exposed to the harsh elements.
Steel storage tanks typically are larger in size and have no place besides being out in the elements. Seepage, rust, and heat loss are just some of the factors that can happen being out in the wind, rain, and cold. A spray on thermal insulation coat might be needed to keep the tank all bundled up for the winter. This is more of a permanent solution and needs to be renewed every few years.
For wine, water, grain, sewage, fuel, and miscellaneous tanks that are not made of steel, there is a polyurethane foam that can be sprayed on to help insulate and keep temperatures stable while being above or below ground. This is a permanent solution and will not come off.
Just like a winter coat, insulation jackets can be made for storage tanks to help maintain the harsh winters. While this isn’t a permanent solution, it’s a great option if you want to remove it from the tank at any time.
You can also opt for an electric tank heater which can be installed inside the storage tank. The electrical tank heaters typically have a thermostat that turns the heater on when the temperature gets down towards freezing. Having said that, heaters like this can be inefficient with a tank not using any other methods above and can rack up an additional $100 on your electric bill during the winter.
Of course a custom solution can be the most ideal choice out of them all. Because of the various depths of frost lines, temperatures, and wind-chills across the country – it’s seriously hard to say what is the best solution for every person. These crazy DIYers did a solar stock tank heater by using the sun to keep the water from freezing in the cold months for zero dollars. This doesn’t look pretty but it gets the job done and maybe will give you inspiration on how you want to prepare for the winter.
Cracking and damaging to risers can happen from water seeping in at freezing temperature. It’s required to have your risers inspected every winter and to check for tank tightness. If not, you run the risk of permanently damaging the tank and having to replace it.
Still in the idea stage for your storage tanks? Go To Tanks is here to help. Contact us today to find the right storage tank for your situation and how to keep it from freezing over during the winter months. Give us a call at 1-877-468-2657.
SALES@GOTOTANKS.COM 
