open water tank?
Discussion
i have an open cold water tank literally is massive round tub in my loft that supplies my shower and taps etc. My drinking water is separate. Is this normal i mean surely dust or bugs etc could get into it. Is there filters further down the pipe system as standard or is it some sort of outdated set up that needs changed?
slipstream 1985 said:
i have an open cold water tank literally is massive round tub in my loft that supplies my shower and taps etc. My drinking water is separate. Is this normal i mean surely dust or bugs etc could get into it. Is there filters further down the pipe system as standard or is it some sort of outdated set up that needs changed?
We had water from an open tank at work. One day we couldn't get any water. when it was checked it had been blocked by a dead pigeon. we used the water for tea and coffee and on hot days had drunk from it..I would always cover a tank, Would use marine ply though and make sure the ply edges are well sealed. I would also insulate it well. One of my neighbours with a tank in the loft has a tube heater underneath and frost stat.
Drumroll said:
We had water from an open tank at work. One day we couldn't get any water. when it was checked it had been blocked by a dead pigeon. we used the water for tea and coffee and on hot days had drunk from it..
I would always cover a tank, Would use marine ply though and make sure the ply edges are well sealed. I would also insulate it well. One of my neighbours with a tank in the loft has a tube heater underneath and frost stat.
It only supplies the hot water?I would always cover a tank, Would use marine ply though and make sure the ply edges are well sealed. I would also insulate it well. One of my neighbours with a tank in the loft has a tube heater underneath and frost stat.
finlo said:
It only supplies the hot water?
Not always...I found out when visiting a friend in Twyford....where water was only available at the kitchen tap. The ballcock had become jammed cutting off all water except the tap in the kitchen. I was not happy cleaning my teeth in dead pigeon water!
Normally it will supply all your water, except the kitchen cold tap. Mine is covered by a bit of polystyrene with some planks on top... 
I used to go in to inspect water tank supply issues and the amount of bird and rat, mouse, etc. skeletons and bones would be amazing. These were old 70's tanks, and had been open since they were installed - and since they were in a plant room with huge louvre gaps for ventilation, pretty much anything could get in. And did.
I used to go in to inspect water tank supply issues and the amount of bird and rat, mouse, etc. skeletons and bones would be amazing. These were old 70's tanks, and had been open since they were installed - and since they were in a plant room with huge louvre gaps for ventilation, pretty much anything could get in. And did.
Had a big round open cold water storage tank in the loft at our last place. No real nasties, but it got drained down and the scale cleaned out of it before we moved in and started using it. Never covered, and never insulated, but it was warmed from underneath by a break in the loft insulation. That supplied upstairs sink and bath, power shower, hot water tank via boiler. Downstairs drinking water was direct fed from mains.
New place seems to have had a similarly lid-less rectangular cold water tank, but it's no longer connected and elsewhere in the loft away from the supply pipes. New tank is sealed, with a couple of quite small lids, presumably to allow inspection and to work on the float valve in necessary. I'm glad it's been done, but torn between an open tank where I can glance in to check for nasties, and one where it's sealed and supposedly impossible for unpleasantness to get inside, but not easy to check.
At least the new one is in a sensible place, giving me the option to board the loft and use it at some future point. The old house was terrible, as the tank and associated heating header tank, etc, were almost slap-bang in the centre of the loft space.
New place seems to have had a similarly lid-less rectangular cold water tank, but it's no longer connected and elsewhere in the loft away from the supply pipes. New tank is sealed, with a couple of quite small lids, presumably to allow inspection and to work on the float valve in necessary. I'm glad it's been done, but torn between an open tank where I can glance in to check for nasties, and one where it's sealed and supposedly impossible for unpleasantness to get inside, but not easy to check.
At least the new one is in a sensible place, giving me the option to board the loft and use it at some future point. The old house was terrible, as the tank and associated heating header tank, etc, were almost slap-bang in the centre of the loft space.
33q said:
Not always...I found out when visiting a friend in Twyford....where water was only available at the kitchen tap. The ballcock had become jammed cutting off all water except the tap in the kitchen.
I was not happy cleaning my teeth in dead pigeon water!
Ok i'll rephrase that, it's only supposed to provide "head" for the hot water colds should be mains fed.I was not happy cleaning my teeth in dead pigeon water!
I couldn't stand a house with a tank in the roof, not withstanding the muck that can get in, the water can stand a long time unused which I don't like the idea of nor the fact it gets very warm in summer.
Which is why everywhere I go I get all cold taps mains fed and the hot fed from a combi boiler.
Which is why everywhere I go I get all cold taps mains fed and the hot fed from a combi boiler.
MikeStroud said:
I couldn't stand a house with a tank in the roof, not withstanding the muck that can get in, the water can stand a long time unused which I don't like the idea of nor the fact it gets very warm in summer.
Which is why everywhere I go I get all cold taps mains fed and the hot fed from a combi boiler.
Do you not flush the toilet or bathe ? Drinking water should be mains fed hence kitchen tap fed by mains .Which is why everywhere I go I get all cold taps mains fed and the hot fed from a combi boiler.
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