Water supply system of a private house with a storage tank: rules for its selection and installation, schemes
In the event that the volume of water flow provided by the main water supply pipe has periodic features or is insufficient, a storage tank for water supply will be required.
- Storage tank volume
- Tank automation and cleaning
Water supply schemes with a storage tank
If, for example, the water supply system of a private house with a storage tank is such that the natural flow into the well or well of water is small, then it is necessary to provide a certain supply of water in case its consumption suddenly increases. During the day, water usually accumulates in such a tank, and during the evening rush hour, it is intensively consumed when every member of the family wants to wash. Sometimes water is supplied to a residential building at certain hours. In this case, the storage tank for water supply will help to collect the required amount of water so that it can be used at any time and without interruption.
Storage tank volume
The size of the storage tank directly depends on the number of people living:
- A water volume of no more than 200 liters is considered sufficient per person for everyday household and household needs.
- For country water supply, which does not provide for some items of water consumption, for example, washing, to calculate the volume of the tank, one should proceed from a norm of no more than 80 liters per day per person, or even less. For a family of 2-3 people, a storage tank for the water supply of a 200-liter cottage is quite suitable.
- If water is used only for food, drinking and washing dishes, as well as morning and evening washing, then even 30 liters per person may well be enough.
What material to choose a storage tank?
A plastic storage tank for water supply is a very common option today. For water, containers made of food-grade plastics or welded from stainless steel can serve. It is unprofitable to use ordinary steel for these purposes, since corrosion will quickly render the container unusable, and it will have to be changed again. In addition, a tank made of the wrong material is more likely to leak or release unwanted substances into the stored water.
Storage tank installation methods
The storage tank can be installed underground, openly and inside the house. With the open method, the tank is installed on a hill, thanks to which it will act as a water tower and make the use of a pump unnecessary.
Only a small container is installed inside the house, which does not require much space.
An arbitrarily large tank can be hidden underground, and, for example, garden beds can be placed above it. But for underground installation, additional work will be required.
In addition, the container must have a certain configuration. The plastic tank must be round or ribbed, with technological holes for revision and cleaning. If a Eurocube is used, then a concrete shell will be required for it, since a mesh fence will not save from soil pressure.
Tank automation and cleaning
These aspects must be taken into account when installing the tank. If water is supplied with normal pressure and a certain frequency, then the issue can be quite simply solved by mounting a float valve for the toilet on the supply fitting. When filling the container, it will shut off the flow, and the water will not overflow.
If water is taken from a shallow well or a poorly filled well, then a drainage pump equipped with a float switch must be used to supply it. When the water level in the well drops to a critical level, the pump will automatically turn off.
If the storage tank for water supply gives off water through the pump, then a float switch or other switch inside the tank itself will be required. When the water level drops to a minimum, the pump will turn off. You can duplicate it with a water level, which is useful when using a washing machine to make sure that it has enough water to wash it.
The nuances of installing a storage tank
To prevent the storage tank from becoming dirty for longer, a water filter must be installed at its inlet. Usually it is mesh, but for large containers (more than a cubic meter) and with contaminated water, it is better to replace the quickly clogged mesh with a centrifugal filter pump or a cyclone filter. Despite the high cost, water supply with a storage tank and a pump will be more economical in operation.
In the tank installed on the podium, it is necessary to make a drainage hole through which the sludge will drain during flushing.
With an underground placement option, the tank is cleaned through the inspection hatch, from where dirt is removed from the bottom with a bucket. For this, it is best to use a container with a flat bottom with a slight slope, in which silt will accumulate exactly under the inspection hatch, and it will be easier to remove it.
To prevent turbidity from rising from the bottom of the tank when water is supplied, the inlet pipe can be completed with a garden or shower head or a strainer located inside the house can be installed on the outlet pipe for ease of maintenance and cleaning at any time.
Have you installed a storage tank as an addition to the water supply system? Or do you consider it an unnecessary detail? Share your opinion in the comments.