Water Tank Cleaning Tips, How To’s & More
You might not think about it often, but the health of your family depends on the quality of the water you drink. If your water tank isn’t cleaned regularly, harmful bacteria and other contaminants can build up and make their way into your household’s drinking water. That’s why it’s important to have a plan for keeping your tank clean and free of debris. In this blog post, we’ll discuss five essential tips for keeping your rainwater tank in good condition. Thanks for reading!
1: Visual Tank Inspections Every 6 Months
Check your rainwater quality for clarity and smell, this can be the first indication that water in your tank is detreating. Regular testing of your water quality is essential, and kits are not expensive or hard to find.
2: Clean your gutters
Your rainwater tank relies on a clean and unobstructed supply of rainwater from your gutters and downpipes. Make sure to regularly check and clean your gutters to ensure that they are free of leaves and other debris.
3: Check Basket Strainer
Remove leaves and other debris from the strainer. These can easily build up and allow contaminants to enter the water tank. Check for rips and holes and replace them, if necessary, they range in price from $20 to $100 and can be found at most hardware stores.
4: De-sludge tank every 2 years
The recommendation from the Australian Department of Health is to check for accumulated sediments every 2 to 3 years. There are 3 main ways to clean the sludge from your tank, and depending on your circumstance you can pick the most ideal:
- If your water tank level indicator is reading low enough to empty the tank, you could consider hosing out the sludge. If this is possible to do, then this can clean your tank the most thoroughly. However, in a lot of cases the water tank level is deemed too high, and some tanks are not accessible to the standard person
- Purchase a rainwater tank vacuum and undertake the cleaning yourself. This can be an extremely risky task if you do not know what you are doing, and can also be extremely expensive, with professional pumps costing $1000. Check your water tank level sensor to make sure there is enough water in the tank to do this, as some water will be lost in the cleaning process
- Hire a professional company to clean your tank. This is the most viable, cost-effective option, especially if your water tank level indicator is reading high enough for a small loss of water, as up to 10% of your water tank level can be lost during cleaning. Professional rain water tank cleaning costs vary, with the cost to clean a 100,000L water tank around $500 and taking around 4-5 hours.
5: Open your First Flush Diverter
Before the first rains of the seasons come, open your first flush diverter to allow the vegetation, sediment, and other undesirables from your roof, to be diverted from your water tank. The time between rains can be excessive and a lot of potential contaminants can build up on your roof. If your water tank level sensor is not reading too high, it can be tempting to put the first rain in your rainwater tank, but this is not recommended
One other factor to consider is not to let your water level drop too low. If your rainwater tank level drops below 20%, then rainwater quality can start to deteriorate, and it can be difficult to get it back to a good standard. A water tank level sensor is an essential tool for keeping track of your rainwater levels and can cost as little as $100, although we expect to pay around $300 to $400 for a superior quality one.
Water tank cleaning costs vary depending on several factors, but you can expect to pay between $100 and $500 to have your rainwater tank cleaned by a professional, depending on the size of your water tank. The cost of water tank cleaning can be kept to a minimum and following these simple tips can help you keep your rainwater tank in good condition and ensure that your family has access to clean, safe drinking water. Please see our other blog on the cost of rain water tank cleaning at www.fullytankedup.com
In summary, these are five essential tips from the water tank level experts to keep your rainwater tank clean:
- Check your gutters and downpipes regularly to ensure they are free of leaves and debris.
- Clean your gutters.
- Check your basket strainer for leaves, debris, rips, and holes. Replace if necessary.
- De-sludge your tank every 2 years
- Open your First Flush Diverter before the first rain of the season.
Thank you so much for reading! We hope you found this blog helpful. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about rainwater tank cleaning, please visit our website or give us a call today!