Pakistan is a country where storing water in tanks installed on the rooftops of buildings and houses is a common practice. The stored water is then supplied to the entire household through pipes connected to different types of water outlets in a home.
Due to the drastic impact of climate change, the summer heat in recent years is breaking all previous records. Temperatures across the globe are constantly rising and the sun is shining brighter than ever before. This means the water tank installed on your rooftop remains directly exposed to the scorching heat, causing the tap water to become unbearably hot and almost unsuitable to be used directly.
As a temporary solution to such water heating problems, you can pour the hot tap water into a bucket and let it cool off for a few minutes before using it for bathing, watering plants, cleaning, and other household purposes. However, this can be a tough and time-consuming task, especially if you have to carry it out on a daily basis every time you need tap water for something.
So, if you are looking for an all-out solution to this problem, we’re here to help. In this blog, we are going to discuss some of the most useful hacks to keep your water tank cool during summer.
Tips to Keep Your Water Tank Cool During Summer
Let’s take a look at some easy and useful ways to keep the water tank cool during the summer season
- Paint Your Water Tank White
- Install the Water Tank in an Enclosed Space
- Insulate All Your Water Supply Pipes
Paint Your Water Tank White
One of the most effective ways to keep your water tanker cool in summers is to paint it ideally in white or in any other light colour. It is a proven fact that light-coloured surfaces tend to reflect more light as compared to dark-coloured surfaces, which usually absorbs light particles and heat, due to which temperature may rise within the container.
So, before the weather gets too hot, get your water tank painted in white from the outside as well as the inside. A fresh coat of paint may also stop the growth of algae and bacteria within the container. It is also very important to give your water tank the right paint finish if you want the new coat to last longer. In the case of concrete water tanks, people commonly used water-based paints which may be a wrong choice. Water-based paints may not withstand the tough conditions of the rooftop, instead, you a clever choice in this regard may be those 100% pure exterior acrylic paints, which are easily available in the market these days. These paints work best in terms of protecting the water tank from sun.
Install the Water Tank in an Enclosed Space
Sunlight may be your biggest problem in this regard so it is better to relocate your water tank and install it in some sort of enclosed space on your roof. This is one of the best tips on how to keep your water tank cool during summer. You can construct an enclosed concrete space with only one or two inlets and get your water tank installed in it, away from the sunlight.
If you don’t want to put in those extra efforts in constructing an enclosed space and relocating your water tank over there, you can simply create a shady spot around it. It is not only considered among the best ways to keep the water tank cool during the summer season but also protects the material of your water tank against the degrading process, especially the ones that are made from materials like plastic and fibreglass.
These materials are degraded more rapidly when exposed to direct sunlight, mostly during the scorching heat of the summer season. However, whether you are planning to construct an enclosed concrete space or come up with a shady spot for your water tank on your rooftop while following the tips to keep your water tank cool during summer, you may have to take special permission from the local authorities governing the society you like in. Neighbourhoods like DHAs in all of the three major cities of Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad follow very strict construction by-laws and if you don’t want to get unnecessarily fined, you need to take permission for any sort of extra construction activity for protecting the water tank from the sun on your property other than the approved map.
Insulate All Your Water Supply Pipes
Along with working on tips on how to keep your water tank cool during summer, you should also insulate all your water supply pipes to beat the heat. It will not only help you to maintain the water temperature to bearable levels in summer but will also keep it from freezing during the winter season, especially if you live in a region where the weather can get bitterly cold. You can insulate the water pipes in your home in the following ways:
- Using strips of pipe wrap, which is considered a traditional way to insulate the water pipes
- Cleverly maximise the use of wall insulation. It’s an insulation technique that has become a part of common construction strategies these days to protect the pipes from the harsh outdoor environment.
- You can install foam pipe sleeves when you have to cover long, straight water pipes. Foam sleeves available in the market can be as long as 6 feet. The pipe sleeves are also made of rubber insulation material.
- Insulating the gaps where pipes enter or exit the walls. Blocking these gaps, especially around the water pipes extending to the exterior walls, is a critical part of weatherproofing and maintains the temperature of the fluid running through them.
This was our pick of some of the best hacks to keep your water tanker cool in summer. If you think we have missed out on mentioning anything useful, feel free to share your feedback with us at blog@zameen.com. We’re always open to suggestions from our readers as they help us improve our pieces.
Here are some other useful guides based on summer hacks and tips that might interest you.
- How to Prevent Heatstroke During Heatwaves in Pakistan
- Ways to Prepare Your Home for Summer
- Ways To Reduce Electricity Bills This Summer
- Refreshing Summer Drinks to Keep You Cool
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