The shed covering the pressure tank and whole house water filter was entirely inadequate. Mice lived under the tank and in the fiberglass insulation. Bunnies pooped everywhere and all kinds of animals appreciated the water dripping from the filter housing. Last winter, despite turning off the pump and blowing out the pipes, one of the valves and the pressure gauge broke. It just wasn’t going to work since I need running water this winter.
I had A LOT of different ideas about how to repair, improve, extend or replace the shed. I almost bought a prebuilt wooden shed for several thousand dollars. I thought about digging down and putting all the pipes in a basement/root cellar under a little guest house built out of recycled materials. It’s difficult and expensive to get help around here so I needed to be able to do as much by myself and with volunteers as possible. With simplicity and cost in mind, I finally settled on buying a simple metal shed kit for about $500.
I leveled the ground and removed the ill-advised sewage pipe located very close to the well head. I built a frame from recycled 2x6’s with the long side facing South. After filling the frame with crushed rock, I used concrete blocks to create a foundation. Leveling and squaring took a lot longer than I expected. Using the foundation to prop the tank, we were able to raise it so it would rest on blocks instead of the rock.
It took three people to assemble the shed itself. It sucked constructing it in the persistent wind; some panels tried to take flight. Using an additional tie down kit, we secured the shed to the concrete blocks in ten places. It’s not connected to the ground in any other way, and it hasn’t blown away in some recent severe winds so that’s nice. It’s also well-insulated now.
I filled gaps with caulk and spray foam. We used aluminum tape, foam board adhesive and spray foam to install 2” R-Tech insulation panels with the reflective side facing the inside of the shed. I had read a lot about insulating a metal building. I don’t really have to worry about condensation because it is soooo dry here, but there is a gap between the walls and panels. I want to keep it warm and use it as a greenhouse space. That’s why I also installed a used window to let light in when I open the doors.
I wrapped the tank and filter in reflective bubble insulation over the heat tape. I extended a flap of thin insulation board to cover the gap between the sliding doors. I filled in gaps with spray foam so it’s well insulated. I added shelves on the left side of the door because shelves are nice and they stabilize the whole frame. On a sunny day, it’s quite a bit warmer inside. I would love to be able to start plants inside there this spring. I have an extension cord inside that is currently running just the heat tape on the pipes. I have a timer power strip that I can use to run grow lights and a space heater if necessary.
All in all it cost about $1000. It took about as much time as I expected. I had help from five different volunteers. It turned out really well although it can be slightly blinding inside when it’s really sunny.
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