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In some areas your plumber may advise that, from experience, stainless steel tanks in your area leak after a short while in service. If this is the case then there are two possible causes.
- There may be a very high level of various contaminants in the water.
- There may be chloride contamination of your water supply.
A quick look at the quality of the water in your area should confirm either or both of the above. Some terrirorial authorities publish their water quality readings on their web sites, but most don't.
Filtration is a recommended option for reduction high levels of all particulate contaminants but it will not remove chloride contamination. A point to consider when opting for a filtration system is the ongoing cost of cartridge replacement, which will slow down your return on investment.
One common treatment method for the removal of chlorides involves maintaining an alkaline pH, where reactivity issues are minimised. Another treatment calls for the removal of chlorides either through reverse osmosis or deionisation technologies.
- Maintaining an alkaline pH may be impractical since it involves injecting alkaline material such as baking soda or ammonia into the tank periodically. Unfortunately, there is no simple way we know of to accomplish this. Also, such treatment is not suitable for tanks that contain drinking water.
- Reverse osmosis and deionisation are scrubbing methods that are considered too expensive for domestic water supplies although a domestic system is undergoing testing in Taiwan
Recommendation
Before deciding to install any stainless steel tank, consult your local water supply company.
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