When using a water storage tank, it’s vital that you maintain it properly in order to ensure safe and sanitary water as well as to extend the life of your water tank as much as possible. By completing some routine maintenance as well as carrying out an annual clean, we guarantee that your water tank will be hassle-free and last for many years to come. Below are some of the best and most effective ways to ensure that your water tank and the water inside it, stay clean:
Maintain your Roof
Regularly inspect your roof to make sure that it’s clean and clear of debris. Check for clumps of leaves and twigs that may have gathered and cut back any overhanging trees or branches to prevent further buildup. It’s important to inspect for dead insects and animal dropping as you don’t want these contaminating your water. Bat droppings on your roof are one of the biggest issues to look out for as water contaminated with bat faeces can become poisonous. If you have a look at your roof and feel like it needs a good clean, make sure that your water storage tank is disconnected from the water flow as you definitely want to avoid the dirty water flowing into your tank.
Keep your Gutters and Filters Clear
Not only will this will help to maximise your water collection, but it will also make a big difference in your efforts to keep your water tank clean. What’s more, keeping your gutters free from debris is an important step in fire prevention. Just like your roof, you need to conduct regular inspections of your gutters and remove any buildup. For optimal cleanliness in your water tank, you may want to consider getting gutter guards installed so that there’s much less chance of any blockages ever occurring. Alternatively, if you want to go all out you can even invest in a self-cleaning gutter system.
An Internal Inspection
Every now and again you need to examine the inside of your water tanks to look for insects and small creatures flying or swimming around inside. You definitely don’t want a frog hopping around in your drinking water! And even worse than a live animal inside your water tank is a dead animal, which could end up making you and your family very ill.
A Thorough Clean
Once a year, towards the end of summer when the water levels are lower, you should give your water tank a thorough cleaning. This is also ideal timing as any sediment or sludge that may have built up will be closer to the outlets.
- Step one: Turn the power off and ensure that any plugs are pulled from sockets.
- Step two: If your tank has separate valves, you should ensure that the cold water valve is turned off and the hot water valve is turned on.
- Step two: Attach a water hose to the draining valve and direct the water to your garden so as not to waste the water. Empty your tank as much as possible.
- Step three: Using your garden hose, run fresh water through the tank inlet to ensure that any remaining dirty water is flushed out. Continue doing this until the water flowing from the outlet is clear.
- Step four: If you have a leaf guard or first flush diverter, clean them to ensure that all dirt and debris is removed.
- Step five: If you have a cartridge filter, change it if necessary. This will depend on the last time the filter was changed as cartridge filters should be replaced every 6-18 months.
Top Tip
An extra tip for keeping your water tank clean is to add chlorine to the water if you suspect that it may be contaminated or have bacteria in it. You can add powdered swimming pool chlorine or liquid chlorine but you should not use stabilised chlorine. Adding chlorine is a safe and effective way to disinfect the water in your tank and the water will remain completely usable and drinkable. The amount of chlorine you use will depend on the size of your tank and the amount of water in it.
At Global Rotomoulding, we are experts in water storage tanks and custom rotomoulding. For over 22 years we have been creating innovative products that are tailor-made to suit the customer’s needs and specification. To learn more about our products and services, get in touch with us today!
