Commercial water tanks need to be built to last. The materials used will be required to work at a high performance level, meet regulatory requirements set by your industry, and be a rugged and reliable tool. Although there are many options for materials when fabricating a heavy fab water tank, steel is considered the most reliable material. Steel is a high-performing material that is strong, affordable, and environmentally friendly. When you are researching material options for your commercial water tanks, steel shines as a preferred choice for many industry applications.
Steel is among the most reliable metals to work with for heavy fabrication projects, particularly when constructing tanks to hold water. When properly fabricated and maintained, a steel water tank can last over 30 years. All steel water tanks are corrosion resistant, and when galvanized, it will also be resistant to rust with no additional requirements for coating or finishing. Steel is resistant to many environmental elements including wind, extreme temperatures, UV rays, and even fire. Steel will remain ductile no matter the temperature and will maintain that reliability for years with minimal maintenance required.
Your tank needs to fit your needs. While many heavy fabricated water tanks are fairly standard, customization is sometimes necessary for different sites, and other mass-produced material options will not allow for much customization in the tank. Steel water tanks are often custom made to fit your exact needs and specifications. They can be adjusted for different heights, diameters, volumes, and there are many roof styles that can be used with steel construction. When you choose steel as your material, you can work with the fabrication shop to get the exact tank you need. For aesthetic purposes, steel can be painted, allowing further customization of the tank. Any quality fabrication shop will have experience with customizing steel tanks.
Choosing an affordable material option is important to many clients. As the cost of materials goes up, the budget for your fabrication project reflects that. Everyone is feeling the squeeze, and whatever you can do to minimize the impact is appreciated all the way down the line. Steel is a great choice for heavy water tanks because it is affordable, yet meets and often exceeds all the necessary requirements for your end product. Because steel is so long-lasting, it will need replacement far less often. Steel requires far less maintenance than many other materials, which will also help your bottom line. If you can save money not only during the fabrication process, but in recurring costs on repairs and replacement down the line, it’s a win.
Steel has a good reputation for a reason. While other materials like concrete can crack over time, this isn’t a problem with steel. Steel water tanks don’t crack. This is especially important to their durability, because cracking in other materials will not only cause leaks and tank failure over time, but bacteria can grow in the cracks, contaminating the entire contents and causing a much bigger issue than just losing water. Steel will not only help you avoid the water leaks that come from cracks, but will keep your tank free from bacterial growth and contamination, giving you confidence that your water will always be safe and sanitary no matter what the end use is. In fact, because steel does not have the hygienic concerns of other materials, several industries, such as hospitals and food processing facilities, are required to use steel for their water storage tanks. Steel has an exceptional reputation for strength, durability, and longevity, and this reputation continues to hold up year after year.
Environmental concerns are important to many industries. Steel has a far less environmental impact than other materials. Because steel is 100% recyclable, you know that you are making the right choice to reduce your carbon footprint. Most steel that is used to fabricate water tanks has already been recycled, and when the water tank eventually needs to be replaced, the steel can be recycled again. Using sustainable products is important to many industries, and knowing that steel is sustainable and will not contribute to any additional pollution in the environment can help you feel good about your choice. When you use steel, you are not only making a smart choice, but you are keeping other materials out of landfills.
No matter where your water tank is located, steel can stand up to the environment elements. Steel can withstand both extreme heat and extreme cold. Steel tanks are also able to withstand harsh weather and even most natural disasters. By using state of the art welding and fabrication techniques, steel can be reinforced even further, making it the safest and most reliable choice for fabricating large commercial water tanks.
When you need a heavy fabricated commercial water tank, steel is the gold standard. While steel is not the only option, it is by far the most durable, reliable, affordable, and safest choice you can make. Knowing that you can customize your water storage tank to your exact specifications is a bonus on top of an already smart material choice. When you are planning your fabrication project, look for a fabrication shop that has experience building projects similar to yours. For a free quote on your next water tank fabrication project, contact Swanton Welding.
Swanton Welding specializes in heavy equipment fabrication and works with products like steel to create water tanks regularly. Their experienced professionals are ready to take your call and answer any questions you may have about the fabrication process. They will provide you with more information about utilizing steel for your water tank and help you with all your project’s needs.
For many people who are either investing in, or upgrading their water tank or water storage capacity, the choice is between Poly or Steel Water tanks. To help aid you with this decision, we’ve compiled a few of these differences below.
Typically Steel Water Tanks are made from Galvanised Steel, Colorbond® Steel or Zincalume® Steel, and are the more traditional style tanks people would be used to seeing in rural environments around Australia.
Steel Water Tanks are typically pre-fabricated and constructed on site, and transported in flat packs to the location. Steel tanks need to be built on a prepared sand pad with aggregate surrounding it to ensure that there is no shifting or falling that occurs, as this would destabilise the tank.
Thanks to the bolt together modular design of steel water tanks, they can be constructed up to much larger capacities than poly water tanks can. Typically the larger volume of water storage is required, the more economically feasible it becomes to invest in a steel water tank.
If the tank is to be used for potable water, a steel tank would require a liner, which keeps the water fresh, and prevents corrosion of the zinc alloys in the metal of the tank. All liners are designed to food grade standards for products that come in contact with drinking water.
Poly Water Tanks or Plastic Tanks are typically constructed from polyethylene plastic, which is a food grade material, and means the tanks to not require a liner. The Polyethylene is typically UV stabilised to ensure that the plastic does not break down in the sun.
Poly tanks are transported to the location fully built, and are usually constructed in one piece, or two pieces with a welded seam down the middle. the most typical poly water tank purchases are between 20,000L and 25,000L, but they can be manufactured up to 50,000L in some circumstances.
Poly tanks are typically easily repairable by a trained plastic fabricator, a service which most suppliers also offer throughout the service life of your tank.
Thanks to the UV Stabilisation techniques used, poly water tanks last much longer than typical plastics would when exposed to the elements, however because the plastic is used to hold water, there are limits to how many of these chemicals that can be added. This means that the tanks will still slowly deteriorate over time.
Steel water tanks have a longer life span typically than poly water tanks, as the steel does not get degraded by sunlight. However, steel tanks without a liner that interact with water with high salt or chemical contet may corrode faster than those with a liner if not treated or galvanised correctly. All Southern Cross Water Tanks come with a 10 year warranty.
While both steel water tanks and poly water tanks can be used as fire tanks and for fire protection, only one is truly fire resistant. When exposed to a fire font, poly water tanks will melt and buckle under the force of the heat, as the plastic deteriorates, which will make the tanks unusable after that point.
Steel water tanks resist fire, and often continue to hold water after a fire front has passed, which can be crucial to fire fighting efforts. If a steel water storage tank is equipped with a liner, the liner may not be able to hold up under the intense heat, and it is important that a tank installer or expert inspect the water tank before it continues to be used for potable water.
At the end of their service life, there is considerable differences with how steel water tanks and plastic water tanks can be repurposed or disposed of.
As steel water tanks are made from steel alloys, once they have outlived their usefulness, the steel can be melted down and recycled to create a variety of other products.
Poly water tanks however, pose a much more difficult issue at the end of their functional life. As the main reason for poly tanks needing to be disposed of is the degradation of the plastic, this means it is difficult to recycle and can only be repurposed into a very limited number of products. Poly water tanks typically end up in landfill.
Due to the moulding process of poly water tanks, they are able to be made in a variety of shapes and sizes, allowing some access to rainwater even for people with limited space, thanks to slimline and other varieties of water tank.
Steel water tanks however typically are only available in the larger round tanks, but are typically available in all standard Colorbond® colours either bonded to the sheets, or factory powder coated to the tank sheets before construction.
Poly water tanks are more suitable for people looking for a cheaper option, who are either challenged for space, or looking for a smaller amount of water storage. As the need for larger volumes of water increases, or if the tank is for fire protection or a long term investment, steel water tanks become the more viable option.