When To Schedule a Water Tank or Tower Inspection

Many municipal areas rely on water storage tanks to serve as reservoirs for emergencies. Certain industries also use storage tanks to have water in the event of fires, overheating equipment, or other issues. It’s important to take care of these tanks and make sure that they’re in good condition for when needs arise. You can schedule inspections to catch minor maintenance issues before they lead to expensive repairs or make important upgrades to help extend their lifespan.

Here’s a quick guide detailing when to schedule a water tank or tower inspection and how you can maintain a consistent maintenance plan that keeps your system in good shape.

Regulatory Requirements

Federal guidelines typically recommend annual inspections for most water storage systems, with some high-risk facilities requiring semi-annual evaluations. Private enterprises often follow similar guidelines to maintain insurance coverage and operational safety.

Many regions also have their own legal inspection frequencies for water storage tank facilities. Local health departments or water authorities can monitor and keep track of the specific requirements for a county or jurisdiction and help determine schedule timelines. However, those numbers may only refer to a baseline inspection frequency and not account for additional factors that may require immediate attention.

Age of Your Water Storage System

The age of your water storage tank can affect the frequency of your inspections. If you’re working with a newer system from the past five years, you may only need to conduct a standard annual inspection to make sure everything is still working and that environmental stressors aren’t negatively impacting it.

Systems between five and fifteen years old benefit from more detailed annual inspections that focus on emerging wear patterns and potential failure points. This is a good time to look for signs of deterioration that may not have been as apparent in routine maintenance checks.

Water storage infrastructure exceeding fifteen years requires enhanced inspection protocols. These aging systems may need semiannual inspections or specialized evaluations targeting known vulnerability areas. Older tanks and towers have typically experienced multiple environmental stress cycles that can accelerate deterioration processes.

Environmental Conditions

Water storage tanks in areas with harsher environmental conditions may require additional inspections with more attention to detail. For example, water tanks in coastal regions may deteriorate faster from salt exposure, while particularly hot climates can result in greater water evaporation from sunlight. These regions require more frequent structural assessments and protective coating evaluations.

Extreme temperature variations stress tank materials through repeated expansion and contraction cycles. Facilities in regions with significant seasonal temperature swings should consider additional inspections before and after severe weather seasons.

High-wind areas present unique challenges for elevated water towers. These structures require specialized inspections focusing on foundation integrity, support structure fatigue, and connection point stress analysis. Wind load assessments become particularly important for towers exceeding twenty years of service.

Water Quality Changes

Dramatic changes in your source water quality should facilitate tank inspections. Changes in the source mineral content, pH fluctuations, or any chemical treatment modifications should lead to inspecting the water quality inside the tank for differences in contamination risks or internal tank breakdowns. Adjustments in the water can corrupt coating integrity and lead to more corrosion.

Taste, odor, or color complaints from water customers often indicate internal tank issues requiring immediate inspection. These symptoms may signal coating failure, biofilm development, or structural deterioration affecting water quality.

Operational Changes

Whenever your facility makes large changes to the storage tank system or water treatment plant, you should perform an inspection on the storage tanks. Common changes could involve installing new pump equipment or making changes to the water pressure systems.

Changes in water usage patterns affect system cycling frequency and stress distribution. Facilities experiencing increased demand fluctuations should evaluate whether current inspection intervals adequately monitor the additional wear these variations create.

Facility managers should pay attention to any changes to water treatment processes and how these affect the storage tank. If you’re relying on new disinfection methods, adjusting your pH protocols, or taking additional measures against corrosion control, you should schedule adjustments to see how these factors are impacting the tank, its materials, and any interior coatings.

Seasonal Considerations

Knowing when to schedule a water tank or tower inspection involves knowing how external conditions can change environmental factors. Different seasons come with their own challenges, and these may impact the necessity for inspections.

Performing an inspection in the spring gives you an opportunity to check for any freeze-thaw damage from the winter months, check for signs of ice load stress, and address any interior coating degradation issues before they contaminate the water supply.

Autumn inspections are a great time to prepare for winter issues by checking for potential freeze risk areas and maintaining tank insulation. Many tanks prevent freezing by installing heating systems. Performing pre-winter evaluation is a smart method for protecting your water supply and preventing potentially harmful issues once the weather turns harsher.

Summer inspections focus on high-demand period performance and heat stress impacts on system components. Extended daylight hours and favorable weather conditions make summer an ideal time for comprehensive exterior evaluations of elevated structures.

Emergency Situations

Severe weather events require immediate post-storm inspections regardless of scheduled timing. High winds, hail, lightning strikes, or flood conditions can cause structural damage that compromises system integrity and public safety.

Equipment failures in connected systems may stress water storage components beyond normal operating parameters. Pump failures, pressure regulation malfunctions, or distribution system breaks can create unusual loading conditions requiring immediate assessment.

Signs or notifications of potential security breaches should trigger an immediate emergency inspection. These evaluations also allow you to identify any potentially weak entry points, verify your security system, and maintain water supply safety.

Optimize Your Inspection Schedule Today

Developing an optimal inspection schedule requires balancing regulatory requirements, system conditions, operational needs, and budget constraints. Consider the mandatory inspection guidelines in your area, and expand upon them by considering environmental factors or seasonal issues. Maintaining past inspection data allows future inspections to identify risk factors based off of historical information.

For reliable support and expert solutions, trust Pittsburg Tank & Tower Group, a leading water tower maintenance company with decades of experience with installation and maintenance. Contact us today to ensure your systems receive the professional care they deserve.