Steel water tank stands – read this before you buy

Water tanks and water tank stands are often purchased together; some tank stands are built from scratch on site while others can be bought in kit form and bolted together.  Not all steel water tank stands are equal and from a safety point of view as well as the tank stand’s longevity, there are some important things to consider.

Having decided that a tank stand is required, there are a few options – tank stands can be made from timber, brick or steel; we recommend steel tank stands as these have the most predictable load-bearing qualities which can be precisely calculated.

Whether the steel tank stand is fabricated from scratch or bought I kit form, here are some questions that one should ask about the steel tank stand before purchasing:

• Is the tank stand designed by a structural engineer?
• Has the tank stand been designed to cope with the size and weight of your water tank?
• Are the main vertical beams supported and braced by diagonal struts?
• Has a margin of safety been built into the design in order to support some extra weight or pressure, including a full tank of water?
• Is the steel used in the structure of high quality?
• Are there various heights available and has the stand been suitably designed for extra height?
• What kind of corrosion protection has been applied to the steal surfaces?
• Is the tank stand supplied with installation guidelines?
• Is the brand or the tank stand a reputable and well-known one or is it a once-off, non-standard build?
• Can the tank stand be guaranteed to support the weight of the water tank that you intend placing on the tank stand?
• Can a specific engineer’s certificate and technical design drawing be supplied with the tank stand?

These are just some of the questions that should be asked before spending money on what is usually a relatively big financial investment (steel tank stands will normally cost more than water tanks).

If you are in South Africa, fortunately JoJo Tanks can supply steel water tank stands (as well as silo tank stands) that comply with all the above questions and more.  JoJo tank stands are designed and manufactured by a registered structural engineer (with 37 years of experience) and are available for 5000 litre vertical water tanks and 10000 litre vertical water tanks in the following heights: 1.5m, 3m, 4.5m, 6m and 9m.  Engineer’s certificates and technical drawings are available for each height in both the 5000l version and the 10000l version.

Click on the links below to view the JoJo Tanks product range, including water tanks, rainwater tanks, underground water tanks, septic tanks, silo tanks, tank stands and other high quality JoJo Tanks products.