Don't Wait Until The Engine Is Knocking!

Provincial Tank Lining and Inspections Inc. - Domestic Hot Water Storage Tank Maintenance

If I had a dollar for every time we've spoke with customers, who have told us that the cement lining protecting their Domestic Hot Water Storage Tank looks good...I'd be rich!

When you know what you're looking for, a visual inspections of a cement lining can provide you with some important information, however...to the untrained eye...it's like looking at your vehicle's dipstick and feeling good because the oil is registering full.

We know that just because your engine oil is full, it does not guarantee engine protection.  In order to protect our engine properly; we trust the information given to us from manufactures and/or mechanics (professionals in the field).  We fully acknowledge that waiting for your engine to knock, is not the appropriate time to change oil because engine damage has more than likely already occurred.

CSA approved cement linings in Domestic Hot Water Storage Tanks are the equivalent to oil in a car, the cement lining protects a steel vessel from the corrosive elements of hot water.  Like a vehicle; waiting until a cement lining falls off or corrosion is bleeding through the lining or you can stick the back of a hammer into the cement lining...none of these examples are opportune times to reline your tank because damage has already been done.

Below are some images from a Domestic Hot Water Storage Tank recently Relined in Vancouver, BC.  While on site the customer said that the cement lining in the tank looked good, once inside we quickly found otherwise.

Before the new lining was installed.

The image above highlights a few concerns:

• There are areas of corrosion bleeding through the cement lining.
• There is quite a bit of flaking.
• The colour and texture of the cement lining was not the same on the top 3rd of the tank.

We were told that the tank was relined by someone about 20 years prior but what we saw was proof of an improperly installed lining that did more damage than good.  To be honest...it wasn't a lining that was installed, but a slurry coat of cement that was probably not CSA approved for use in a potable water applications.  The tank was 11 feet tall on the inside and it was quite evident that the individual that performed the "lining", could only brush to about 8 feet as the top portion the tank was not slurry coated.

Note the corrosion bleeding through the cement lining.

Note the corrosion bleeding through the cement lining.

Note the area in which we were able to sink the back of hammer into.

Tank with newly installed, CSA approved, Pre-Krete T-61 cement lining to a working final thickness of 1/2" to 5/8".

Don't wait until the engine is knocking...be proactive, enjoy a planned down time and save huge capital dollars by having your Domestic Hot Water Storage Tank maintained today. 

A 'Pro-Active Maintenance Strategy' will protect you and your clients from unwanted/extended downtimes and large capital expenses associated with repairs and replacement.  When running a 'Reactive Maintenance Strategy' repairs and replacement can be in excess of $100,000.00 with unwanted downtimes of 2 weeks plus.  That's 2 weeks without hot water.  A "Preventative Maintenance Strategy" will cost less than 1/10th the price of repairs/replacement and will allow for planned shut downs.

Call Provincial Tank Lining and Inspections for more information and/or to discuss a preventative maintenance plan for the Domestic Hot Water Storage Tanks in your portfolio.

Regards,

Jason

Jason Rusnak
Director of Business Development
Provincial Tank Lining and Inspections Inc.
C: 519.387.2635  www.ProvTank.com