Lid for water tank?

JuliusCaesar

Hi, had a workman in the house recently and while he was here he saw my watertank in the attic he advised me to get a cover for it (due to lots of scary stories - animal drowns in ttank, owner suffers mysterious near fatal illnesses). Anyway, thought it would probably be a good idea, but thought it's strange that they don't come with lids? This is a recent plastic tank that was installed.

Where can I get a lid, or do I have to just cover it with a rectangle of wood?

Thanks all.

browner85

new lid is about 30-40 yo yos thats y plumber didnt put 1 on it prob felt the few quid was better in his pocket.. its better to cover it with somethin than nothing at all plastic lid is better and if you are going yo get one you should get dimensions of your tank as there are many sizes.......

Joey the lips

Sheet of ply- cheaper!

JuliusCaesar

Thank you both! Most grateful!

crosstownk

You could use a sheet of polystyrene and cut it to size - easier to manage than wood and not afraid of water. That's what was fitted to my parents house and it's been there for 35 years..

mukki

crosstownk wrote: »

You could use a sheet of polystyrene and cut it to size - easier to manage than wood and not afraid of water. That's what was fitted to my parents house and it's been there for 35 years..

is that the white foam meant for the wall cavity?

Outkast_IRE

I for one dont see why plumbers in this country are so adverse to lids, i asked my boss on a few jobs and hes old school so he never puts them on but if im doin any work i always would .

Joey the lips

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I for one dont see why plumbers in this country are so adverse to lids, i asked my boss on a few jobs and hes old school so he never puts them on but if im doin any work i always would .

agree with you but the principle is simple.

1. Up until recently it was not legislation that was enforced.

2. If you have 50 houses in the adverage development at 45 euro a lid that 4500 euro of a saving.

Davy

Nothing wrong with the polystyrene imo. The plastic ones can be a nuisance at times, getting them in and out around expansion pipe, or if the tank is close the rafters it can be hard to get it to sit correctly on it, so then ends up being half off anyway.

Outkast_IRE

Joey the lips wrote: »

agree with you but the principle is simple.

1. Up until recently it was not legislation that was enforced.

2. If you have 50 houses in the adverage development at 45 euro a lid that 4500 euro of a saving.

Ya i can see the cost savings in doing estates,
the type of work im usually involved in is one off houses , Refurbs and call outs .
In one off houses usually they are a high spec so cant see why not to put them in with price.
Refurbs it would be best practice to put them in.
Call outs to replace tanks , should defo get lid with replacements .
Yet not once has the boss put them in , in every other way hes a great plumber !!! old habits i suppose.

Joey the lips

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Ya i can see the cost savings in doing estates,
the type of work im usually involved in is one off houses , Refurbs and call outs .
In one off houses usually they are a high spec so cant see why not to put them in with price.
Refurbs it would be best practice to put them in.
Call outs to replace tanks , should defo get lid with replacements .
Yet not once has the boss put them in , in every other way hes a great plumber !!! old habits i suppose.

Correct procedure should be

Lid
Tank
Drip tray..

Good luck with the drip tray, doubt many have seen them.

TBH. i agree with the polysteryne. Its lighter and easier to moved through the attic and no fear of dropping it through the ceiling. But as you say one off's work out much better.

Kaylee

A few months after we moved into our new house (about 7 years ago) we noticed something funny about the water in the bathroom.... husband ventured up into the attic to see what the problem was...yup - dead rat in the (uncovered) water tank

We had to run about seven bottles of Milton Fluid though the system.

I always assumed that they would be covered, there ye go. If i ever move house it will be one of the first things I would check.

slavetothegrind

To comment on KAylee's post, if you ever have a rat/mouse problem and lay Storm etc. you can bet on the critters finding your tank as they get reeeaaal thirsty.

I gave a customer the shock of his life when i showed him the thousands of little blue pellets in his tank.

A tight fitting lid made for the tank is the only way to go.

If you have a build going on insist on it being the correct lid.

Joey the lips

Dont ever use poision.

Dangerous for kids
Dangerous for pets
Dangerous for watersupply.

Safest solution is a trap. You see the evidence. A great trap and i say it on boards all the time is "The big cheese" google it in images. Its brilliant safe and hygenic. You set them with your foot.

Davy

Joey the lips wrote: »

Dont ever use poision.

Get stress this enough either,, the poison dehydrates the rats, and they have chewed through the hydro-dare mains! Nasty and costly.

Just reminds me, i came across a squirrel in a tank before, wasnt pretty.

The Fool

You'd be suprised by the amount of water tanks on roofs (old shopping centres and the like) without any kind of lid

shazzyb

Are the tank lids compulsory now - are they part of the latest building regs?

Thanks.

Joey the lips

shazzyb wrote: »

Are the tank lids compulsory now - are they part of the latest building regs?

Thanks.

Yes. Have been for at least 4 years.

cnocbui

I made a lid for my tank out of a piece of heavy duty plastic sheeting sold aa damp proof membrane for foundations. Cut and folded the corners so it is like a shallow inverted tray and used heavy duty tape on the joints.

It did the job and has lasted 8 years so far.