Water tanks are a must have for residential and commercial buildings. They are an integral part of a rainwater harvesting system and guarantee constant supply when the council water lines run dry. The water tanks serve as holding or storage units with inlets and outlets. Water is often sourced from the rainwater harvesting systems, the council supply or water trucks. The outlet is hooked up to the plumbing system to cover the entire building. A pumping system is often used to get water into the plumbing system or into a high pressure holding tank.
There are several types of water tanks. Primarily there are two main categories; above ground and inground tanks.
As the name suggests the former is fitted above ground level. It can rest at ground level, on the roof or on an elevated platform. Raised tanks hold the advantage of supplying water at high pressures.
They often serve as secondary holding tanks to generate enough pressure to supply the house. Inground tanks, on the other hand, are installed below the ground level.
They have numerous advantages that make them a favourite for residential and commercial buildings. Here is how under deck water tanks save space, water and money.
Save Water
Under deck tanks are known for having unlimited capacity. Concrete inground tanks in particular are versatile and can be designed to any capacity.
The only limitation is your specifications. To give you an idea of how big underground tanks can get, Tokyo hosts one of the largest underground water tanks that serve as storm drains.
The tanks are 5 storeys deep and stretch to the size of a football field. Large buildings with basement parking can still accommodate inground concrete tanks.
The tanks are heavily reinforced and can stretch to fit the entire foundation of the building. The design is common in commercial buildings.
Other inground tank options include buried stainless steel tanks and polyethylene tanks. These have a limited capacity since they come as prefabricated units.
However, their capacities are still more than above ground tank options. Moreover, you can bury several tanks to meet your storage requirements.
Save Space
Although inground water tanks have large capacities they save space. This sounds contradictory but makes sense if you look at the space occupied by inground tanks.
Since the tanks are installed below ground level they do not take any useful space.The tanks leave your outdoor space untouched.
The only space that is compromised is the area accommodating the tank’s hatch. Every other area remains usable.
Since inground tanks are designed to take on a lot of pressure, they do not cave in despite above ground installations.
Basically, installing outdoor fixtures above inground tanks does not compromise its integrity. You are free to have a garden, gazebo or an above ground swimming pool.
The number of above ground tanks you can have is limited by the size of your property. On the other hand, inground tanks are only limited by how deep you are willing to go.
Small properties can benefit from deep tanks which ensure the capacity specifications are met by trading off the length with the depth. However, designing such tanks requires a lot of expertise.
Save Money
Underground tanks have a high upfront cost. Installation involves excavation, tank construction or burial and finally landscaping to cover the huge pit.
Despite, the high upfront costs, the tank save you money and here is how:
- Durability: The operational life of under deck water tanks is long. The tanks are designed from hardy materials that last decades and can take a lot of punishment.
Moreover, underground tanks are protected from the elements meaning UV damage, storm damage and vandalism are a non-issue - Low Maintenance: Under deck tanks have low maintenance costs. Once the hatch is closed, chances or damage and contamination are minimal.
The tanks rarely need repairs. At the event that repairs are necessary, an under deck concrete tank often only needs small touch ups.
This is contrary to above ground tanks that may require replacement.
Under deck tanks also raise the property value. When the value addition is matched against the cost of installation, it’s quite apparent you save money with an investment in an under deck water tank.
