Do you have a water tank for storing hot water or offering water pressure? If so, you need to get the tank cleaned periodically. A neglected water tank might cause some nasty problems such as discolored or foul-smelling water, bacterial growth, or sediment buildup. But how do you know when it’s time for a good cleaning? Here are ten signs that you need to watch out for—
- The water smells musty, earthy, or strongly chlorinated
Turn on the tap, let it run for around 30 seconds to clear the pipe water, then cup it in your hand to smell it.
- The water smells musty, earthy, or strongly chlorinated. If the smell is earthy or musty, such as pond water, wet basement or damp cardboard, it always indicates algae growth within the tank, as the lid is cracked or doesn’t seal properly and sunlight is getting in.
- Strong chlorine that doesn’t fade– If heavy chlorination has been done in your tank after fixing a contamination event in your area, or the previous cleaning of your tank used too much chemical, then the smell of chlorine won’t go away easily. You can resolve this issue in 2-3 days.
- Sulphury/rotten egg– The bacteria within the tank produce hydrogen sulfide gas. This is a sign of serious bacterial buildup and possibly stagnant water at the bottom. The issue might be fixed within 24-48 hours. In case the smell persists after that, opt for the services of a company that offers water tank cleaning in Ghaziabad.
- Sediment settles at the bottom of stored water
Pour tap water into a clear glass tumbler and let it sit undisturbed on a flat surface. Have a look at the bottom. Are there visible particles such as sand grains, dark specks, or fine grit floating? That’s sediment, which is now traveling from your tank into your tank.
What does it likely mean?
The bottom layer of accumulated sediment in your tank has built up to a point where the normal flow of water is stirring it up. The sediment then travels through pipes into your taps. Eventually it settles inside your geyser, washing machine inlet, or RO filter pre-filter (which requires replacement faster than usual).
Book a cleaning within one week. Though not a same-day emergency, waiting for the problem to be resolved will make it worse. The damage to the tank by sediment is far more expensive than cleaning.
- The water tap is yellow, brown or murky
Hold a clean glass of tap water to natural daylight near your window. Clean water is normally clear; you can see directly through it. Anything from a faint yellow tint to a visible brown haze signifies that your tap is getting contaminated.
This means that sediment from the tank bottom is being kicked up into the water flow, normally fine sand, rust particles from the older DJB pipes, or dislodged biofilm. It could also be iron oxide leaching from corroded inlet pipes within the tank.
This is the most urgent of all signs. Stop drinking the water immediately; switch to bottled water for drinking and cooking. Book an appointment with an experienced professional who offers water tank cleaning services in Ghaziabad on the same day if possible. You can bathe in the water for a short time, but rinse with clean water afterwards.
It is not a sign that goes away on its own. Once you see the contamination, the primary problem has been building for months.
- Your loved ones suffer from stomach upsets from family
This is the most overlooked sign in homes of the Delhi NCR region. The pattern is the same—kids suffer from tummy issues; parents keep blaming junk food, though the kids don’t eat anything outside home. Elderly family members get repeat gastric issues with no clear cause. Adults notice less because their immunity handles the bacterial load better.
What does that likely mean? Bacterial contamination in the drinking water source. The most common culprits are Salmonella, E. coli, and different other pathogens that thrive in stagnant water with biofilm. Even a water purifier doesn’t protect everyone—be it the unfiltered tank water that you bathe in, brush your teeth with, or wash vegetables in at the entry point.
In case the pattern is real (multiple family members affected over weeks, no other cause), book a cleaning within a week. After cleaning, the symptoms might get reduced within 1 or 2 weeks. In case they don’t, the issue might be a plumbing problem rather than the tank.
- White or chalky deposits on bathroom tiles, taps and geysers
Look at your bathroom mirror near the tap, the showerhead, the inner part of the electric kettle, and the area around the geyser. White, chalky deposits might be forming. The same deposits are formed within your tank too. It’s just that you cannot see them.
What does it signify?
Hard water with high TDS (total dissolved solids) is almost always borewell water or borewell-mixed DJB. The minerals (calcium and magnesium carbonate) precipitate out and form a chalky coating on every surface they touch. Within your tank, the same coating builds on the walls, holding bacteria and reducing tank capacity over time.
This is less urgent than the contamination signs, but cleaning and descaling will visibly improve your water in a few days and dramatically extend your geyser’s life and that of your washing machine. If you come across any one of the above-mentioned signs, it clearly indicates that your tank has borewell-water-driven contamination.
For homes that use heavy borewell water, experts suggest a 4-month cleaning cycle rather than 6 months because of faster scaling buildup.
Conclusion
The health of your family depends on the quality of water you use. Therefore, water tank maintenance is of prime importance.
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