Frozen pipes at well pump. Freeze switch?

[rockyfatcat]

I got woken up this morning by the wife. The water stopped working in the shower. It’s freezing out and this happened once before. The above ground pipes at the water well froze. I used bottled water and boiled it on the stove, wrapped a towel around the pipes at the well pump and poured the boiling water over the towel. After the water started flowing inside the house I removed the wet towel and put the well pump cover back on.

I obviously have power. It looks like 110vac at the well. I see they make wires to safely heat pvc water pipes. Do I need some sort of a a freeze switch? Am I barking up the wrong tree? How would a pro make this problem go away?

 

[xlr8ngn]

Since your enclosure is small, I’d put a shop light with a 45 or 65 watt incandescent bulb in it, and turn the light on only when cold like this.

 

[rugerguy]

Wrap it in insulation also !

 

[Fatal_Bert]

All you need is insulation.

 

[xlr8ngn]

Another thought, whatever you do make sure your enclosure is covered with dirt on the bottom so it creates a seal. Any air circulation will suck any warmth provided from the ground out and promote freezing. I don’t have a well btw, so listen to the others that do.

 

[fattboyzz]

I use this laid in the middle. 60 or 75w bulb. Maybe 100 .

Then line that dome with insulation

I have used one like in the pic before too.

 

[GaMudd]

I had this problem with my well early on. I went to Amazon and bought a temperature activated outlet and and hooked it up to a heat lamp (I would not use a heat lamp in an enclosure as small as yours, overkill). I have 110 power in my well house. Temp . activated outlet comes on when outside temp hits 38 degrees so you don't have to think about it during the winter.

 

[THREEJAYS]

If you can still find incandescent bulb that will solve your problem. Neat about the temperature switch mentioned as I wasn’t aware of those

 

[InTune]

If you can still find incandescent bulb that will solve your problem. Neat about the temperature switch mentioned as I wasn’t aware of those

Called a thermo cube

 

[Allsmiles]

If you can't find incandescent lights, look in the reptile depart of Pet Store for IR or heat lights. We have 2 or 3 incandescent bulb lights in the well box down at the property. You can also put a door peep in the box so you can see if the light is working without having to take everything apart.