In this blog post, we will be discussing a recent water tank refurbishment project that we carried out for a Facilities Management company in Birmingham. Water tank repairs are a vital component of our cold water storage tank services. Over time, they can become damaged due to corrosion or general wear and tear, leading to the need for refurbishment. Through carrying out these works, we didn't just help our client achieve water compliance, we helped reduce their risk assessment and monitoring costs whilst avoiding the price of a full replacement. The first step in this water tank refurbishment project was to repair a hole that had been caused by heavy corrosion. To do this, a plastic sheet was placed over the hole and then fibreglass was applied over the sheet to seal the hole. This process created a waterproof seal that would prevent any water from leaking out of the tank.
The next step in the refurbishment project was to reline two steel water tanks. This involved removing any rust or debris from the interior of the tanks, cleaning them thoroughly, the abrasion of all internal surfaces, the application of a protective stripe coat and then applying a new lining material to protect the tanks from further corrosion. The new lining material used in this project was our own WRAS-approved, solvent-free coating, which is known for its durability and resistance to corrosion.
Once the tanks had been relined, the next step was to insulate them. This was done to prevent any heat loss from the water stored in the tanks, which would help to maintain the water temperature and reduce energy costs. The insulation material used in this project was a closed-cell foam, which is known for its excellent insulation properties. To ensure that the water tanks were completely sealed and secure, new seals and lids were then installed. The seals were placed around the openings of the tanks to prevent any water from leaking out, while the lids were installed to provide easy access to the tanks for cleaning and maintenance. Following this, to ensure that the refurbished water tanks would function properly, all connected pipework needed to be replaced. This involved removing the old pipes, cleaning the connections, and then installing new pipes and fittings that would be compatible.
Finally, new inlets and float valves were installed to ensure that the tanks would fill properly and that the water level would be maintained. The inlets were placed at the top of the tanks, while the float valves were installed at the bottom to control the water level. Before the tanks could be put back into service, they needed to be disinfected to ensure that any bacteria or contaminants were removed. This was done using a chlorine-based disinfectant, which was added to the tanks and left to circulate for several hours before being flushed out.
