Top Maintenance Tips for Water Storage Tanks
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As its name implies, a water storage tank helps store water for an area. This prime investment can be a practical solution to provide water to homes and businesses when water is scarce. However, owning a water tank doesn’t guarantee clean water. It’s still important to maintain the container to reduce the risks of using unclean waters.
Here are five maintenance tips to help you take care of your water tank.
Conduct Weekly Foundation Checks
Many water tanks, like the one from watertankfactory.com.au/water-tanks/sl3000ur-litre-slimline-tank/, have sturdy construction. These tanks can last for years, perhaps, even decades, with proper care.
However, leaving these water containers to combat the elements may produce potential hazards, like deterioration, corrosion, and cracks. It’s important to spot these dangers early before they produce higher risks.
Weekly foundation checks should allow you to see these potential dangers at their early stages. Consider following a checklist to ensure that you’re not missing any vital component during the checkup. Your inspection checklist may include the following components:
The tank
Tank roof
Inflow and overflow screens
Gutters, first flush, and leaf filter devices
The main
Tank fittings, pump, and pipes
Aside from checking the tank’s structural integrity, you may also want to check for any signs of animal activity. Check for signs of animals, such as mosquitoes and squirrels, that may see the water tank as their new home. Promptly remove the animals' residential conditions as their activities and excrements may ruin the foundation or contaminate the container's water.
Treat Contaminated Water
Remember, one of the vital components of water storage tanks is the water itself. Thus, if, by any chance, that the water storage tank has contaminated water, assess the situation first before deciding to throw it away. It might still be possible to treat contaminated water, depending on the severity of the impurity.
Use a sufficient dose of non-stabilized chlorine. Consider using about five milligrams of this solution per liter of water in the tank. This substance should also be equivalent to about seven grams per 1,000 liters of calcium hypochlorite or 40 milliliters per 1,000 liters of sodium hypochlorite. Choose the appropriate decontaminating solution while considering certain factors, such as the severity of the condition and your budget.
After decontaminating the water, you may also consider installing water filtration devices to connected taps. Filtration equipment may reduce contamination risks further to connected pipes. A dual filtration system might be necessary as the first filter removes sediments and heavy metals, whereas the other reduces potential risks of harmful bacteria buildup.
It could also be worth using a water softener service to further treat the water - particularly if it’s being used in your home. A lot of water can be hard water, meaning it contains calcium and magnesium ions that change the water’s properties. By removing this, the water will be softer, making it safer to use and also preventing things like marks on glass, scum around plug holes, and so on.
Clean the Water Storage Tank
It can be a waste if you're using contaminated water by mistake. For example, you didn't immediately notice that you're using unclean water for your plants, leading to significant damage to your beautiful florae.
Save water while gardening and prevent water from becoming contaminated in the storage tank by cleaning the container regularly. Achieving this objective requires some essential tools, such as:
Floor mop
Bucket
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Unscented cleaning solution
You may also use other cleaning equipment, like sump pumps, dry towels, pressure washers, and wet/dry vacuums. These tools may help eliminate difficult-to-remove substances that may cause water contamination and other issues.
Maintain the Coating
A water tank’s coating might not only be for aesthetic purposes. Some tank providers offer coatings that help prevent corrosion while providing the container’s construction with a few visually appealing properties. Hence, maintaining the tank’s coating may help reduce maintenance costs over time.
Maintain the coating by applying a topcoat layer on the tank at least once per year. Don't forget to drain the water from the container. Otherwise, the chemicals in the topcoat may contaminate the water supply and create some plumbing nightmares.
Eliminate Algae
Some people might prefer using transparent or translucent water storage tanks to present aesthetic value to their properties. However, the relatively clear material used may present opportunities for algae growth. Like other unclean substances, algae may contaminate the water supply in the container. Also, it may reduce the tank’s structural integrity over time.
Eliminate algae by switching your transparent or translucent storage tank with an opaque model. It's because algae thrive with enough sunlight. It grows through photosynthesis, which is a process used by many plants to convert sunlight to nourishment. If you cut the light source, algae in the tank may no longer develop and thrive.
Conclusion
These five tips may help you maintain your water storage tank. Follow this guide to help you care for the container’s construction and the water’s cleanliness. Remember, even the smallest maintenance procedure may produce big results. Maintain your tank today, and you may reduce costly repairs in the future.
