Choosing a New Design for Your Home and Garden

Installing a rainwater tank is an increasingly popular choice for Australian home-owners. Not only does it reduce or eliminate your water bills, it also provides clean and chemical-free water for your family's use. Before you have your new rainwater tank delivered and installed there are some preparations you will need to make to ensure the process runs smoothly:

Prepare the area where the tank will be located

Ideally your rainwater tank should sit directly onto the ground. The area that it sits on must be completely level, and must be the same size as the diameter of the tank to prevent any movement or instability. For smaller areas, this can be done by hand, but if you have a larger area you may need to hire a small piece earth-moving machinery to do the job.

Once the area is level then you will need to ensure that it is free from rocks, sticks, and other debris. Once the tank is full it becomes very heavy and even small pieces of debris can potentially rupture the tank's base.  You must also make sure that there are no soft spots in the area. Using a small compactor to thoroughly compress the ground is a good way to ensure that the ground is uniformly hard.

Prepare to make the tank secure

Even the largest rainwater tanks are surprisingly light when they're empty. Before they are filled with water they are vulnerable to movement by strong wind or storms. This can seriously damage the water tank, and can also cause damage to surrounding structures.

The best way to prevent movement is to purchase water to fill or even half fill the tank on the day that it's installed. This also means that you'll be able to start using your tank immediately and won't need to wait for an extended period of wet weather to have a good supply of water. If you don't want to buy water then you'll need to securely tether the tank to the ground using ropes until a sufficient amount of rainwater has been collected.

Making sure that you've dealt with these practicalities will mean a smooth installation process on the day your rain-water tank is delivered. Any delays due to inadequate preparation will often result in your installation being delayed or postponed. It may also cost you money if delivery has to be rescheduled. As with any task, it's certainly worth being well prepared.

Have more questions? Contact a company like Van Steensel Timbers Pty Ltd to learn more.