Hello everyone. I know this is a small question but important for my family. I purchased a good 200 gal water bag and want to set it up & fill it correctly. I was planning on using the cement garage floor, but then got to thinking maybe I should raise it a little (freezing). Any suggestions?

-- Sammie Davis (sammie0@hotmail.com), June 20, 1999

Answers

Sammie, I, too, have one of the 200 gal water bags. I'm currently making room for it in my garage. I plan to put mine on pallets with plywood over the plywood so the bag won't sink into the open slots of the pallets. 200 gallons weighs approx. 1,660 lbs. so although I'd like to put it in the house (wood floors on pier beam) I'd best stick to the garage where the floor is concrete. Thought about putting it in the crawl space but my husband is concerned that it would cause the ground under the house to shift and destablize our foundation.

-- Shelia (Shelia@active-stream.com), June 20, 1999.

That was supposed to be 'plywood over the pallets'. Also, re: freezing -- you might want to use some of the rolls of insulation like Reflectix to put under and over it.

-- Shelia (Shelia@active-stream.com), June 20, 1999.

Where did you find a 200 gallon water bag? Marcy

-- Marcy Sawyer (marcia@madnet.net), June 21, 1999.

Marcy, sounds like my ex-wife :)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), June 21, 1999.

Sammy,

It depends on your climate, you house, your available energy, etc.

You will get some heat blead from you house into the garage. Unless the common walls have been insulated. Even then there will be some heat transfer, just not much. I'd think about insulating the exterrior walls of the garage.

Over all I'd try to protect the integrity of the bag above other consierations. If it freezes some on the bottom it can be thawed. But if it is punctured you have a much worse problem.

It'll have to get real cold for an extended amount of time to freeze 200 gallons. You can mitigate some of this problem by leaving the garage-to-house door open part of the time.

-Greybear

-- Got Insulation?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), June 21, 1999.

You can get the water bag at watertanks.com

-- Arron (jamell99@hotmail.com), June 21, 1999.

4 days without water and you're dead! I would NEVER risk my life with a plastic bag that can spring leaks!

Hey guys, quit being so cheap! Buy the 55 gallon water drums that are guaranteed not to spring leaks!!! You can buy them as cheap as $30 each!!!! Why risk your life over a few dollars? Are you guys nuts or something?

-- freddie (freddie@thefreeloader.com), June 21, 1999.

New drums are 23.95 at Sams Club. If you do not see them at your local store, they will order them for you.

-- BiGG (supersite@acronet.net), June 21, 1999.

Think about ponds. Ponds freeze from the top down because water is at its densest (heaviest) at a temperature just above freezing (4 deg. F). Also, it will take quite a while for the waterbag to freeze because it is so large. I plan to put my waterbags directly on the cement floor in my basement.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), June 21, 1999.

Another option for some might be to purchase a rigid sided small above ground swimming pool. I believe the smallest diameter is 12'. Some of the ones we've looked at have a 2500+ gallon capacity. If one has the space in a basement (we do), a walk-out access with downward, away from the house slope (we do), one might consider setting one up (we have). Purchase a cover at the same time. If we don't need it, we'll have a backyard pool for the grandkids, or the *perfect* equipment to start a home-based Koi ranching operation. ; )

-- Wilferd (WilferdW@aol.com), June 21, 1999.

Freddie and BiGG, Need more info. on obtaining drums at those prices. Can you give a Sam's location or item no?

-- P (d@d.d), June 21, 1999.

Thank you so much for all the answers. My garage is detached so can't use house heat for it. but the pallets with plywood sounds reasonable. I also have 6 55gal food grade drums for water. I got the bag because my DGI brother says he 'thinks' he might be over to spend the new year with myself and mother. This means: wife & 2 kids. So just in case he decides to be here, I want enough water and food to support them, therefore the 'cheap' ($79.95) bag. I like the idea also of the above the ground swimming pool, hadn't thought of that, but now have the bag so will utilize it, at least it won't get dust or bugs in it. You have all been such a great help! Thank you!! - Sammie

-- Sammie Davis (sammie0@hotmail.com), June 21, 1999.