How often do you clean your freshwater tank?

For those who religiously clean out their tank, I will leave you with this thought.

How often do you clean out your household loft water tank?

peedee

Write your comments here...Peedee I suspect that a lot of people will not have a tank in the loft ( and I don't mean an armoured variety) they will have a Combi Boiler........but I know what you are saying.

My water regime is to completely empty the water system for any period when it will not be used more than a couple of weeks .  That involves using compressed air to blow out the last few drops of water,  easily done with any air pump but ensure that you don't get the pressure higher than about 15 psi.  Once or twice a year treat the system with any caravan/motor home water sterelising chemical and avoid Milton like the plague, as has been said it will damage any metal, stainless steel in particular, but ANY metal.  If you are worried you can get water purification tablets, Aqua Tabs, to add to drinking water to ensure its quality but personally I find that UK water quality is such that you really do not need it.  I avoid bottled water since Which tests on bottled water came up with the fact that a number of bottled waters were not up to normal UK drinking water standards.  Not surprising really when you think about bottled water being produced then standing lord knows where and in what conditions until it goes on the shelf and you buy it.  Making sure you empty pipes as well as tanks will ensure that there is no growth of algae as the residual chemicals in drinking water will keep tanks and pipes clean and healthy whilst they are in constant use and draining properly will ensure they stay clean.

We use Puriclean from time to time, and we use the tap for tea/coffee, washing up, washing/ cleaning teeth, but not for cold drinks.  We've not suffered and ill effects from using water in this way.

David 

If you are really paranoid about it you could always try using what a lot of home brewers including me use.  Which is laundry bleach like vanish, however don't buy vanish because it is perfumed but the cheaper versions available for lidl or Wilko's is not perfumed and much cheaper and it does shift dirt and is not afaik harmful to stainless steel. 

Peedee, combi boilers do away with the need for a loft tank.

Sounds much more hygenic.

peedee

I normally rinse the tank out with fresh water....as often as twice a year!

We are cautiousl about water in pipes and tanks so we drink Alcohol..............only to put our minds too rest.  

We are cautiousl about water in pipes and tanks so we drink Alcohol..............only to put our minds too rest.  

Write your comments here...Much like the Romans then !! Only wine !!  ??.

Its not just the water for drinking that you have to be concerned about- its any water from a stored system. Most microbial growth is fairly harmless, but pathogenic microbes can develop, especialy if substantial biofilms develop in containers and pipework. When you run a tap or shower, near-invisible aerosols of water are generated, If contaminated, and breathed in (or across the eye membranes) they can cause irritation, minor illness or more serious gastric issues. It would be prudent, even if you don't drink the water, to disinfect the system at least once a year, probably better twice a year, plus keeping systems drained when not in use, and flushing through with fresh water each time you fill up. Remember to remove any carbon filters before disinfection, otherwise the disinfectant will be reduced post filter (which is where you want it) plus will generally render the filter ineffective later. For marine systems, we recomend disinfection of water systems- and the more infequently a system is used, the greater the need for disinfection, as stagnant water (especially if detritus, such as scale is present) is a greater risk for pathogenic microbial development.

If you are really paranoid about it you could always try using what a lot of home brewers including me use.  Which is laundry bleach like vanish, however don't buy vanish because it is perfumed but the cheaper versions available for lidl or Wilko's is not perfumed and much cheaper and it does shift dirt and is not afaik harmful to stainless steel. 

Oxygen based laundry bleaches (like Vanish) are not good enough to be recommended as disinfectants. Even with TAED, which allows oxygen to be produced at low temperatures, they don't achiveve the level of microbial reduction required for them to have a suitable effect in water systems. They also contain enzymes and detergents which, while not harmful in themselves, should not be used in potable water systems. There are oxygen based disinfection systems (as well as chlorine, silver, sulfur oxides and ammonium systems) available, but anything used on a caravan/motorhome water system must be designed for potable (drinking) water, as other systems may leave residues (or damage materials used in the system)