Would you foam under these tank supports?

[goosegunner]

I am having a hard time finding foam here that is higher than 25psi density. After looking it over I thought maybe I should just leave the wood in contact with concrete and cover the sides and top of wood with foam.

Would you put sheet foam under the bottom wood tank support?

or

Cover floor with Foam and box around wood supports with foam?.


Bottom wood supports are 11" wide by 60" long.

Providing I have even distribution and my tank,water, piping, insulation weighs 9800lbs (on the high side). It would be about 7.5psi onto the foam.

Again, If I have even distribution.

gg

 

[bioman]

insulate that tank real good and forget the wood !

 

[BrotherBart]

Yes. And scream. And bleed. And hurt really bad. :lol:

 

[ewdudley]

I am having a hard time finding foam here that is higher than 25psi density. After looking it over I thought maybe I should just leave the wood in contact with concrete and cover the sides and top of wood with foam.

Would you put sheet foam under the bottom wood tank support?

When I did mine I happened to have some of the 75 psi stuff stashed away waiting to be used, so I did use it, but it was probably a waste of time.

The bottom of the tank is normally only going to be what, 100 degF or so? I would think that if you did run the numbers on how much heat could realistically be conducted through all that wood it would be hard to justify fooling with foam at this point.

 

[700renegade]

I wouldn't bother with the foam under the wood. The amount of heat lost there has to be insignificant. I'm seeing 5 boards = 7.5" @ R 1.25 per inch equals R9.4.

 

[woodsmaster]

I wouldn't worry about it the bottom usually isn't that hot and even when it is you wont lose much heat threw that wood.

 

[heaterman]

We routinely set Garns (16,000#) on 1-1/2 or 2" foam. They have a 10" wide "pad" that runs full length so the pounds per inch are actually far lower than a car.

I would not worry about the heat loss through the wood. It will be pretty insignificant.

 

[goosegunner]

Thanks for the replies, I will leave the wood in place. It will be one less thing I have to mess with.

Heaterman, what density foam do you put under the Garn? Somewhere on the forum I thought I read 75psi.

gg

 

[heaterman]

Thanks for the replies, I will leave the wood in place. It will be one less thing I have to mess with.

Heaterman, what density foam do you put under the Garn? Somewhere on the forum I thought I read 75psi.

gg

We use standard density stuff (Dow, JM or whatever) that you typically find at the local lumberyard. As a test, take a piece of your foam and run over it with your pick up. You'll be surprised at how little it deforms.

 

[rkusek]

I have some scrap micro laminate (2x12) size that I plan to use under my tanks with some pink or blueboard between that and floor. Was worried how much it would compress. Sounds like one thing less to worry about. How are you insulating your tanks GG? Going to see how much the guy that sprayed the pex would charge. I'm hoping around 200-300 bucks.

 

[Fred61]

Many of us tend to forget how much of the surfaces of our boilers are left un-insulated. Both the front and rear of my Wood Gun were not insulated and if I remember correctly, neither was the bottom. Plenty of loss there too!

 

[goosegunner]

I have some scrap micro laminate (2x12) size that I plan to use under my tanks with some pink or blueboard between that and floor. Was worried how much it would compress. Sounds like one thing less to worry about. How are you insulating your tanks GG? Going to see how much the guy that sprayed the pex would charge. I'm hoping around 200-300 bucks.

My plan is to use fiberglass batts and then wrap with the 6' wide stuff that is used in pole buildings. If I need more I can use cellulose trill the area that the tank is in. The room is 5'6" X 18'6". My tank is 42"X 16'.


For now I want to avoid foam, if tank would develop leak it might be hard to pinpoint.

Gg

 

[rkusek]

Good point about leaks. I guess I figured any leaks would be at the fittings since I'm using existing outlets. That 200-300 might be better spent on something else. I have a bunch of scrap batts and could use that vinyl covered stuff on top. My builder had to line the walls of my unfinished basement with it for code. Would make a pretty nice outer surface for the tanks, durable too.

 

[stee6043]

I would agree with the above that worrying about the wood is likely not worthwhile but I would like to suggest that most folks with storage will push their tanks to 150-180 even on the bottom of the tanks. Insulating under the tanks IS important. I run 160+ on the bottom of my lower tank every night during regular heating season...

If you don't insulate your tanks all the way around you will get air currents and radiant loss. Better to throw a few extra rolls of fiberglass under there at the very least...

 

[goosegunner]

I would agree with the above that worrying about the wood is likely not worthwhile but I would like to suggest that most folks with storage will push their tanks to 150-180 even on the bottom of the tanks. Insulating under the tanks IS important. I run 160+ on the bottom of my lower tank every night during regular heating season...

If you don't insulate your tanks all the way around you will get air currents and radiant loss. Better to throw a few extra rolls of fiberglass under there at the very least...

I will foam the floor everywhere except under the wood. I also planned on wrapping the whole tank and filling voids.

gg

 

[jdboy9]

What about using metal square or rectangle stock that is hollow? Then insulation can be placed inside? I don't know the weights that metals can take but just a thought.