insulating elevated loft cold water tanks

[fourtytwo]

I have three cold water tanks (2*cw + ch header) on a platform roughly 1M above the loft floor, I have not encountered this arrangement before and wondering how best to insulate it.

Normally in previous houses with the tank direct on the ceiling joists I have left the ceiling un-insulated under the tank, then cocooned the tank including lid in insulation.

If I do that here the ceiling below will suffer severe heat loss and probable condensation given it is bathroom & airing cupboard.
What do people recommend or do, cocoon the entire platform supports & tanks leaving the ceiling un-insulated as before ?

I should add the platform has no lip (its cut to the same size as the tanks) so nothing to support the bottom of tank only insulation sadly.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Can you upload a photo of the setup?

 

[fourtytwo]

Can you upload a photo of the setup?

I will do my best, it's a very restricted loft so not much space for pictures!

 

[Deleted member 120897]

I would try to get a cold water storage cistern insulation pack and use that. You may also want to try to create a makeshift lid.

 

[Chuck]

If you want to make more of a meal of it:

If the water pressure / flow is up to snuff you could seal the CH and have the DHW converted to unvented. This would get rid of the tanks altogether. And/or you might consider converting to a 'warm roof' by insulating between the rafters. If you are not removing them, you'll probably have to move the tanks temporarily to gain enough acess to make a decent job.

 

[fourtytwo]

Thanks for your answers BUT that leaves the original question unanswered......
The insulation packs as sold are useless IMOP, that's what was here and the cr*p lids had collapsed into the water! I have at least made new lids from 1/2" ply covered in thick neoprene so far.

Changing the entire system to pressurized is not realistic, the boiler may not even be rated for it and I don't want even more leaks! and I would have to replace the power shower and hot water cylinder god knows how much all that would cost!!

From what I have been able to discover the recommended procedure for elevated tanks is to both insulate them and the ceiling underneath, that means the bottoms of the tanks are exposed to the loft air temperature via the 3/4" of chipboard they are sitting on with no source of heat, does that sound right ?

 

[Ben-gee]

I would leave the ceiling under the tanks uninsulated and go from tank platform to ceiling with sheets of celotex- just join them together at the corners using kebab skewers or similar.

Ply for tank lids is not a good idea as they rot from the underside. Obviously you could paint with gloss paint to prevent this.

 

[fourtytwo]

I would leave the ceiling under the tanks uninsulated and go from tank platform to ceiling with sheets of celotex- just join them together at the corners using kebab skewers or similar.

Problem then is heat loss & condensation in the bathroom below, the only apparent way to avoid that is to insulate the entire platform box, top of tanks right down to ceiling level.

Ply for tank lids is not a good idea as they rot from the underside. Obviously you could paint with gloss paint to prevent this.

1/2" ply covered in thick neoprene!