9x13 food-grade ziplock bags bulk - buy where? how? water storage

[Minni]

OK, i'm aware people have waterBOB, but i prefer the below option if available:

For emergency water storage:

Is there any major local outlet such as Walmart [or whatever] that carries 9x13 ziplock bags in bulk? (food grade)
...and at reasonable cost.

How many 9x13 ziplocks would make, say, 100 or 200 gallons worth?

Then I could fill them with water, and store them in such type of buckets as emergency storage:
http://www.aquabuys.com/mm5/graphics...-5g-bucket.jpg

Then it wouldn't matter even if the bags freeze (unlike frozen rain barrel & unlike BOB).
I.E. if i need water, I can take a 9x13 water bag, which would fit into a pot, and warm the water on my wood stove (that's if i can light the stove which i haven't dared try yet, due to fear of fire, due to the stove having been installed by a jerk. That's aside from having less than 1/2 cord wood..

..at least I think a water-filled 9x13 would fit into a large pot.
Does anyone have same, to test it, say in an 8-qt. pot with ?? circumference?

[goose3]

I've stocked a large number of both quart and gallon ZIPLOC bags (hundreds, bought on sale at Menards in big boxes containing 4 normal-sized boxes). But I haven't bought them specifically for water storage, just for general preps for things like storing food, etc. etc. etc.

I'm not sure if ziplocs are freeze-proof if completely filled with water--I would, in fact, bet they are not.

I don't want to rain on your parade (sorry : ), but IMO there are better ways to store water in 5-gallon buckets. You can get a 5-gallon liner from Emergency Essentials with a spout that is used in their "boxed" water application. I have five of those, and they're fine. Just leave enough slack to allow for freezing.

Will they stand freezing? Again, I very much doubt it unless you're careful how you do it. But if storing water where it can possibly freeze is a condition you need to work with, I'd look for other alternatives.

Here's the kit, which happens to be on sale now:

http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_...%20Water%20Kit

Here are the 5-gallon mylar water bags by themselves, which go for $3.49:

http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_...ylar+Water+Bag

[Bobbers]

Local farm supply store has five gallon "gas" cans on sale for like $5 each. Great way to store water. So is buying the 4,5, or 6 gallon water bottles, the type that go into water coolers. An inexpensive rack can be built to reduce the floor space used.

My concern in filling ziplock bags would be the durability of the bag, the overall integrity of the seal over time, and the sheer number of bags you'd be using to meet your water storage goals. I generally figure a minimum of 3 gallons of water a day for two people, that'd be over 20 bags I'd be messing with every week.

I've purchased a few 35 gallon water tanks, filled them, and tucked them away in various spots in the basement where they aren't in the way. In addition, some five, some six, some seven, some eight gallon durable plastic jugs. Not saying that'd work for everyone, it works for me however.

[Minni]

I hear, but for me, the 9x13 bags would be best, since they can then be emptied into a pot for heating in case of frozen conditions.

they can even be double bagged inside standard food-storage bags, and then filled (sorta like sandbags in a dam) inside a large bucket.

So even if they burst, what the heck, they'd simply leak inside the bucket.

I can't understand why survivalist stores don't make allowances for people who may be stuck in a frozen house (with only one tiny room containing wood stove).

Because then, they might provide leak-proof, pot-sized, ziplock bags available in bulk.

Which factor causes bags to be either leak-proof or not leak-proof?
Thickness of gauge?
...or reinforcement of edges?

[goose3]

Originally Posted by Minni

I can't understand why survivalist stores don't make allowances for people who may be stuck in a frozen house (with only one tiny room containing wood stove).

Because then, they might provide leak-proof, pot-sized, ziplock bags available in bulk.

Well, to give them the benefit of the doubt, the market for people who have only one tiny room containing a wood stove who need leak-proof, pot-sized ziploc bags in bulk strikes me as rather small.

[Wind Breaker]

Originally Posted by Minni

I hear, but for me, the 9x13 bags would be best, since they can then be emptied into a pot for heating in case of frozen conditions.

they can even be double bagged inside standard food-storage bags, and then filled (sorta like sandbags in a dam) inside a large bucket.

So even if they burst, what the heck, they'd simply leak inside the bucket.

I can't understand why survivalist stores don't make allowances for people who may be stuck in a frozen house (with only one tiny room containing wood stove).

Because then, they might provide leak-proof, pot-sized, ziplock bags available in bulk.

Which factor causes bags to be either leak-proof or not leak-proof?
Thickness of gauge?
...or reinforcement of edges?

You might want to look into some regular or the 'zip lock" mylar bags to satisfy this requirement. Several places sell them, and they should be fairly leak proof, since they are designed not to let air pass through them.

[Illini Warrior]

Originally Posted by Bobbers

Local farm supply store has five gallon "gas" cans on sale for like $5 each. Great way to store water. So is buying the 4,5, or 6 gallon water bottles, the type that go into water coolers. An inexpensive rack can be built to reduce the floor space used.

My concern in filling ziplock bags would be the durability of the bag, the overall integrity of the seal over time, and the sheer number of bags you'd be using to meet your water storage goals. I generally figure a minimum of 3 gallons of water a day for two people, that'd be over 20 bags I'd be messing with every week.

I've purchased a few 35 gallon water tanks, filled them, and tucked them away in various spots in the basement where they aren't in the way. In addition, some five, some six, some seven, some eight gallon durable plastic jugs. Not saying that'd work for everyone, it works for me however.

Absolutely never store water in anything that is not FOOD GRADE rated by the manufacturer ..... and plastic gas cans are at the very top of that pile .... there's all kinds of FDA rules on top of other FDA rules in regard to FOOD GRADE container manufacture ......

besides, it's wayyyyy to easy to mix something up and poison someone .....

[FoodNut]

Costco has 6 packs of large boxes. They aren't particular cheap compared to a sale or a good coupon, but sometimes there's no sale or coupon and the Costco price doesn't change.

You said you wanted the smaller bags in case of freezing, but if the bags are packed in a bucket and frozen, wouldn't they all freeze together anyway? Unless I'm picturing this wrong, you'd probably have to do a fair amount of thawing before you could get one out.

How about using stackable water jugs and making a "wall?" They would absorb heat from your living area in the day and radiate it at night, and shouldn't freeze.

[Minni]

Originally Posted by Wind Breaker

You might want to look into some regular or the 'zip lock" mylar bags to satisfy this requirement.

Is there any link to a pic you can post, so I can see which you mean?
Thanks!

[Minni]

Originally Posted by FoodNut

Costco has 6 packs of large boxes.

Not sure which you're referring to. Is there a pic online? Note, I'm not a member, and never really get there. I appreciate the info. though.

You said you wanted the smaller bags in case of freezing, but if the bags are packed in a bucket and frozen, wouldn't they all freeze together anyway?

I could always up-end the entire bucket, to separate a bag from the rest.
If each ziplock is double-bagged inside a food-bag, it could work better.
I wish there were rectangular plastic troughs which could hold an array of, say, 24 square-shaped containers (i.e. an array of 8+8+8), with a dispenser via which water can be poured into a channel which would dispense into each container in the array.
(with the dimension of each container fitting into a pot with a 9" diameter opening.)

Unless I'm picturing this wrong, you'd probably have to do a fair amount of thawing before you could get one out.

I answered this above.

How about using stackable water jugs and making a "wall?" They would absorb heat from your living area in the day and radiate it at night, and shouldn't freeze.

Is there any pic of such a configuration? Has it been done before?

[Wind Breaker]

Originally Posted by Minni

Is there any link to a pic you can post, so I can see which you mean?
Thanks!

https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/e...orage_bags.htm

Here's a link for mylar bags. Down toward the bottom are sizes very near to what you were looking for. Some have the zip lock top and some do not. All are 5 mill thick, which is a good thing.

[Minni]

Thanks for the link, though I just found this on Amazon for approx. $16 per 100:

9" x 12" 4 Mil Clear Zip Lock Bags, Pack of 100 (Collecting Warehouse)

also:
12" x 15", 2 Mil Clear White Block Zip Lock Bags, Pack of 100

It states that it meets FDA food storage requirements. Do you think that would work, if each 9x12 is double bagged inside each 12x15?

Is there a big diff. between 4 Mil and 5 Mil?

[Synical1]

Considering the cost of what you're looking for, I would try them all and see what happens.

I would pursue another solution. But, if I was to try this, I would just start with some 1 or 2 gallon Ziploc freezer bags and take it from there.

[FoodNut]

Originally Posted by Minni

Not sure which you're referring to. Is there a pic online? Note, I'm not a member, and never really get there. I appreciate the info. though.

I just checked their web site, but they don't have it. They don't have a lot of run-of-the-mill stuff online.

I should say *my* Costco has the bags -- not all stores carry the same thing. We don't have a "business" Costco here, so other than rice there are no big bulk unprocessed food items.

Is there any pic of such a configuration? Has it been done before?

The Aqua-Tainers stack quite nicely and securely. I have mine stacked 4 high -- I don't know what the max height is.

Amazon.com: Reliance Products Aqua-Tainer 7... Amazon.com: Reliance Products Aqua-Tainer 7...
Amazon.com: Reliance Products Aqua-Tainer 7...

Using water as a thermal sink is a passive solar technique that's been around for a long time.

[Minni]

Thanks! Thing is, the Sam's Club bags aren't so thick, whereas the Amazon ones are.
I'm considering the Amazon (collecting warehouse) ones, but I'll first see if I can reach CW to ask them if they're waterproof.

[64duracraft]

Is that really going to take a freeze?

Here's my experience:
I bring home fish from fishing trips and store them for YEARS in a deep freeze. I *try* to get the filet in a solid block of ice inside the bag so it doesn't get freezer burn. When I thaw them in the sink I thaw them in the bag. Most of the time when I pick the bag up out of the water, it's leaking, usually at the seems and usually a corner.

YMMV.

[Minni]

duracraft, which brand bags have you used to store your fish?
Simple ziplock, or zipper ziplock?

I had contacted CW and they naturally responded that they wouldn't advise it, unless maybe they're double bagged (which is what I'd had in mind).

Another Q: Has anyone tried Hefty Ziplock for liquids?
Because Hefty states they're good for sauces and even ice cubes.
But they're a bit smaller than 9x12.

I'm thinking i should invent something similar to below, but with each compartment being quart size.
http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/497...e_cube_bag.jpg

like maybe:

[rabiddog9]

How about double bagging and then store the bags in clean 5 gal buckets. if there is a leak the 2nd bag should hold up if not you still have the bucket?

[ShellbackBill]

Originally Posted by Minni

Is there any major local outlet such as Walmart [or whatever] that carries 9x13 ziplock bags in bulk? (food grade)
...and at reasonable cost.

How many 9x13 ziplocks would make, say, 100 or 200 gallons worth?

This is pretty close to what you are looking for.

http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_...%20Water%20Kit

Cheaper than the methods most recommend, and they come in 5 gallon as well.

[Minni]

That wouldn't meet requirements as per my OP re: possibility of the water freezing & therefore needing to be heated in a pot to be drinkable.

So I found some junky, probably toxic, 3-quart food-containers:
http://www.regentproducts.com/images/41523-48.jpg

I bought 15 of them, which I'll make do with (unless I win the lottery

I figure I can line them with gallon size food storage bags, after first rinsing the containers out to hopefully detoxify the cheap plastic.

So even if they freeze, I can probably get them out by upending one of them into a large pot to heat on my wood stove (that's if i can get the fire started...