Homeowners have many uses for residential water tanks, as stored water can be used to water the garden or a small farm area. If filtered, this water can be used in the home in times of drought, or to simply lower your water bill. If you're thinking of buying and installing a residential water tank on your own, note a few mistakes you'll want to avoid in this process, so you're sure to find a tank that works for you and will avoid causing any damage to the tank or your property with its use.
Too small
You don't want an unsightly tank sitting on your property, detracting from the appearance of your yard or landscaping, but you also don't want to underestimate your water usage when selecting a tank size. To give you an idea of how much water you might need to store in your tank, a ten-minute shower might use about 200 litres of water, and running a standard garden sprinkler can use some 1000 litres of water every hour. Consider how much water you would then need for a family to shower every day, and for watering a small area of farmland! Invest in a water tank that will hold a sufficient amount of water, rather than assuming a small tank will be enough to support your needs in times of drought.
Weight for moving
If you want a smaller tank that you can take with you when you move, note the weight of the tank material itself. A steel tank may be very durable and strong, but it might also be difficult and cumbersome to move to a new property. A plastic tank can be more lightweight and easier to move when needed.
Installation
It's easy to forget that water itself can be very heavy, but note that one litre of water equals 1 kilogram of weight, and 1000 litres of water equal a full ton of weight. This is why bracing the water tank properly when it's installed is so vital. An above-ground tank should have compacted soil or sand under it, or a concrete base. That base should also extend past the outer edges of the tank, to help disperse its weight and keep it steady and secure. Underground tanks may also need a base of some sort, such as crushed gravel or concrete. Avoid using items like wood sleepers or corrugated iron as a base, as these materials are not secure enough to hold a tank in place, and may sink and shift under the tank's weight.
Share2 March 2018
Gaining a good understanding of industrial supplies can really help a man to get ahead. I'm Jo and while I do not work directly in the industrial equipment or supply business, I have learnt a lot from my brother who works in a large factory in Sydney. I would often spend weekends down there watching the guys at work. Now and again, my brother would ask me to help him out so we could try and find a good deal on a new piece of kit. I did it, and I learnt a lot while I did it. I hope you like my blog.