Steel tank liners
A NEW LINER, AND THE REASON THE LAST ONE FAILED
Most steel tank liners do not wear out. They get punctured. We remove the cause before the new liner goes in.
Short answer
How is a steel water tank liner replaced?
The tank is drained and the old liner is left in the tank. A new potable grade liner, custom made to the correct size for the tank, goes in over the top. Joints are taped and fittings are re-cut and installed. Most tanks take half a day to a full day.
The work
What we do, and why
What fails in a steel tank
A steel tank is a wall and a liner. The wall holds the shape, the liner holds the water. When water appears at the base, the liner has almost always been breached rather than worn out.
What we find under old liners: - Tree roots that have grown up through the sand base and pushed a hole through - Termite and ant activity in the base, which leaves fine pinholes - Sharp gravel or a rough base that was never screeded properly - UV damage on the exposed liner edge at the top of the wall - Corrosion on the wall sheets working through the liner - Fittings that have been overtightened or moved
How the leak is diagnosed
First rule out the plumbing. Shut every outlet, mark the water line and check it 24 hours later. If it still drops, the tank is losing water.
On site the position of the wet ground matters. Water at one point on the base usually means a puncture near there. Water all the way around often means a failed base or a low level breach. We confirm it once the tank is drained, because the hole is only visible from inside.
How the repair is done
The old liner stays in the tank. It is cleaned out, flattened and left as a second layer under the new one, so the base is not disturbed.
Where roots or ants caused the leak, the old liner is lifted so the base can be dug back to clean sand. Roots are cut out and the source is dealt with, not just trimmed. Ant nests are removed. The base is then screeded flat and free of stones, because everything under the liner eventually prints through it.
The new liner is dropped in, spread out, hung at the top and capped so UV cannot get at the edge. The joints are taped. Outlets and overflows are cut and installed.
We do all brands. The wall does not have to match the liner supplier.
What drives the cost
Diameter sets the starting point. Extra cost comes from heavy root removal, a base that has to be rebuilt, or a long drive.
We quote on the tank in front of us rather than publish rates. Every job is quoted firm after inspection, and the written quote is the price you pay.
How long it takes
A typical rural steel tank takes half a day to a full day on site once drained. Large diameter tanks, or tanks with a base that needs rebuilding, take two days.
Metro work usually starts within a week of quote acceptance. Regional work is batched, so lead time depends on the run we have booked for your area.
What warranty applies
Workmanship is warranted by us and the liner carries the manufacturer warranty for the grade supplied. Both are stated on the quote.
A liner punctured later by new root growth or by stock is not a warranty item, which is exactly why we spend the time clearing the base properly first.
Specifications
STEEL LINER SPECIFICATIONS
Typical figures. Measured on site before ordering.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tank diameters served | 2 m upwards |
| Typical liner life | 12 to 20 years |
| Liner material | Potable grade liner, UV capped top edge |
| Base | Screeded sand base, taped joints |
| Brands | All steel and Colorbond tank brands |
| Time on site | Half a day to 2 days once drained |
| Turnaround, regional WA | Batched by region, ask when you call |
Steel liners
ASKED ON EVERY STEEL JOB
Still stuck? Call 0499 142 149.
Sometimes, on a clean puncture in a liner that is otherwise sound. On an old liner a patch usually just moves the next failure a few metres along.
Yes. We line steel and Colorbond tanks from all manufacturers, including tanks whose maker no longer trades.
We remove the roots and clear the base back to clean sand. If the tree itself is the problem we will tell you, because a new liner over live roots will fail again.
Usually a section does, to get the new liner in. We do not remove the old liner. It is refitted and sealed. If the roof is already poor, replacing it at the same time saves a second mobilisation.
Related
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Get a price
SEND US THE NUMBERS.
Diameter, height, outlets and a couple of photos. That's usually all we need to come back with a firm price. No site visit is needed to start.
Coverage
WE TRAVEL FOR TANKS
WA Tanks is based in Perth and works across Western Australia. We cover the Perth metro area, the South West, the Wheatbelt, the Mid West, the Great Southern and the Goldfields. Regional jobs are batched into runs, so the lead time depends on the next trip to your area.
Not on the list? Call, we usually travel there anyway.
Perth metro
Perth & HillsSwan ValleyRockinghamMandurahBullsbrookChitteringMetro jobs usually start within a week of the quote being accepted.
South West
BunburyBusseltonMargaret RiverManjimupBooked into the next South West run, so timing follows the run, not the call.
Wheatbelt
NorthamMerredinNarroginBooked into the next Wheatbelt run, so timing follows the run, not the call.