The installation of a new water tank with better capacity, brings more comfort and convenience to the residence. However, if not done carefully, it brings many more problems than solutions.
The water tank is an effective and necessary item in any home, but it is in the installation that all possible problems, both pressure and leaks, must be eliminated.
Today, water leaks are without a doubt the biggest hydraulic problem in homes, and in addition to being an aesthetic setback, it also raises the cost of water, causing incalculable damage.
In this article, we will talk about how to discover water tank leaks and tips to solve the problem and have a safe and leak-free storage.
Water Tank:
An important form of water storage to supply a residence, the water tank is essential to have water at home at any time. In homes, the water tanks used are the old ones made of asbestos or polyethylene, the latter being the ones currently sold.
Due to the dangers that asbestos causes to people’s health, its use has been discontinued, but in many homes it is still possible to find this type of box, which technically does not cause any damage, as long as there is no breakage and contact with dust from the asbestos, which is highly carcinogenic.
Polyethylene is a resistant material, with good long-term durability, in addition to offering good storage, with boxes of at least 500 liters and at an affordable price. In addition, this material does not heat the water or cool it too much, and it already comes with all the holes for the plumbing fitting, being less subject to leaks.
But it is still possible for problems to occur with water leaks in a box, regardless of the type and age of the box, and there are many reasons that can cause leaks such as:
Poor Installation – An installation done in any way can cause a lot of inconvenience, and if the box is not well seated in the place where it was installed or the plumbing has not been well sealed, it is possible that over time, it will start to present small leaks that can compromise cash in the long term;
Cracked box – Cracks are common in asbestos boxes, even though the material is quite resistant. One of the causes is the daily weather over the years and any change that is made or even some maintenance can cause small cracks in the material. In these cases, it is possible to apply cement or epoxy-based putty to make the repair, but it is always recommended to exchange this type of box for one made of polyethylene;
Poor quality pipes and connections – The plumbing used in the box is also important, because if the quality is not superior, it can leak at its junctions in a short time.
As most water tanks are located on the roof, usually with difficult access, it is very important that possible leaks in the tank are corrected, to avoid more serious problems in the future.
How to find leaks in the water tank:
There are a few tests that can be done to determine if there may be leaks in the water tank: For More Website Blogs click here
Test in the water box:
This test is one of the most effective and shows a possible case of leakage problem when it is not visible:
- Close all the faucets in the house and especially the registry;
- Then, lock the float in the box and mark the level;
- After 1 or 2 hours, analyze if there has been any change in the level and if there has been a low, there is a leak – either in the box or in some pipe connected and fed directly by it.
testing the bathroom - One of the places with the biggest leak problems are bathrooms, and after the box test, you can do this test on each toilet in the house, to find or rule out leaks.
In the toilet, put some ground coffee and see if it will settle on the bottom or stay on top, if it does, there are no leaks, but if it floats in the water in the toilet, there is a leak and it usually focuses on the discharge valve.
testing the faucets.
In the faucets of the bathroom, kitchen and service area, it is possible to find leaks in the plumbing and one way to discover this problem is this simple test:
- First, close all faucets and valves, not using flushes either;
- Then, put a full glass of water in the mouth of the faucets and see if they suck the water. If this happens, there is a leak in that pipe.
- Testing the hydrometer
- All the test examples that we are giving here are important to identify a leak in a water tank, as these pipes are fed by it, but a leak can also occur in the main pipeline that comes from the supply center.
To discover a leak in this plumbing, it is necessary to do a test on the hydrometer or popularly the water clock. This device measures water consumption and it is through it that the water supplied by the supply company passes first, before going to the taps or water tank:
- Close the faucets, the valve and do not flush for just over 1 hour, in addition to attaching the box float;
- Write down the numbers in black that are contained in your water meter;
- After 1 hour or more, re-read and observe if there have been any changes, if any, there is a water leak.
In the case of a hidden leak, a professional must be requested, who works in the detection of internal leaks and the repair of these hydraulic systems, whether in the water tank or pipes fed by it and that need attention for its total solution.
