Cold Water Tank

[Hopkirk]

Should the cold water tank in the loft normally have a lid on it?

[ummmm]

Yes.

[DTCwordfan]

Yes - every house that I have had and the tank has been covered. Imagine those rats and bats peeing in it.....

[Sipowicz]

......don't forget the dead pigeons!

[EDDIE51]

In some older houses there was an open cold water tank that supplied the upstairs taps and bath. This is where the old idea that you should not drink water from the upstairs tap came from as birds, mice etc. could fall into it and drown. I always remember my old Grannie telling me you must never drink out of the bathroom tap. Of course modern houses have closed tanks but I bet there are still a few open tanks around.

[Prudie]

I lived in an old house with an open tank and dead flies used to come out of the basin taps. Nice

[EDDIE51]

^^ You can buy lids for the tank Prudie , only cost a few £s and saves a lot of hassle.

[Old_Geezer]

Yeah, but then the water loses its flavour.

[Hopkirk]

Thanks everyone.

Incidentally Eddie, modern houses have mains water to the bathroom cold tap, so it is OK to drink from them now. The cold tank in more recent times only feeds the hot system.

I asked the question because a couple of houses I have lived in have had open tanks. I have tried to fashion covers out of hardboard and cling film, but wondered if I was doing the wrong thing.

I will look into buying a proper cover for my current abode, though haven't seen them in the stores.

[Old_Geezer]

Mine seems makeshift. IIRC it's a flat piece of some material covered in dark plastic, just placed on the top. Doesn't seem the most hygienic way to stop nasties growing in the hot water system. One would have hoped for something better in this day & age.

[The Builder]

This being the UK, Hoppers, we have a Law for everything. All tanks must have an insulated lid complete with a "Bylaw 30" kit to prevent syphoning back into the mains blah blah ;o)

[Hopkirk]

Thanks Build