Thanx to DIY, our old well pump & tank have lasted us almost another year. But now I'm back to ask advice on replacing our 1970's model galvanized tank. It's now leaking through a very rusted spot near the bottom. What kind of tanks should we look at now? We are also going to take this opportunity to relocate the tank to it's own pump house. Do we attempt to do this ourselves, or is a professional needed? Would that be a plumber or someone from a well supply company? Any recommendations for this endeavor? All advice greatly appreciated!!

 

I am not enthused about these new tanks. They are not inexpensive and it might be cheaper (and IMHO) better to get the old one patched. You will never get 30 years out of one of these new bladders.

Also, I like to have the tank and switch where I can keep an eye on them, not out in a pump house where if something goes wrong, you don't know it until the pump burns out. I think that weekly monitoring is important --where water is drawn until the switch turns the pump on, then the gauge is watched to see how long it takes to get back up to shutoff pressure. When everything is "out back" it tends to be ignored until the pressure mysteriously goes down one day, then it is a firedrill.

I'm not trying to poke pins in your plans, just voicing a view not heard much.

 

I'm going to give you a little different view than Vey did on pressure tanks.
I will agree with him in that the old galvanized tanks were the way to go. However, you can't buy the 'old' galvanized tanks anymore. The new galvanized tanks are not nearly as good as the old ones. The galvanizing process is not the same. I've seen these 'new' tanks rust out in as little as 3 years.
The new 'bladder' tanks have gotten much better. In fact, most of these tanks aren't 'bladder' tanks, they're diaphragm tanks.
Bladder tanks had a balloon in them that would expand as water was pump into the tank. The balloon would rub the inside of the tank until a hole was wore in them. Since then, the manufacturers have developed the diaphragm tank. Instead of a balloon that expands, the diaphragm tanks have a membrane that's installed about center point of the tank. The membrane rises and falls as the pressure inside increases and decreases, without rubbing the inside walls of the tank.
I've been installing diaphragm tanks for 6 years, and in all honesty, I've not had to replace one of them.
Vey is correct, when he says that owners need to keep an eye on how their systems are operating. This is true whether you have a galvanized tank, or one of the new diaphragm tanks. Finding problems early is the key.
I'm sure that there are plumbers out there that understand pumping systems, but I would recommend that you have a pump contractor give you recommendations on moving your pressure tank to a new location.
Hope this helps in your decision making.
Ron

 

>In fact, most of these tanks aren't 'bladder' tanks, they're diaphragm tanks.<

I'll have to take your word for that. I think that someone in the market for a new tank would be smart to look fot the word "diaphragm" otherwise they will end up with a bladder. I was just down at the local Home Depot and all the tanks they sold there were bladder.

Go to Sears.com and you will see the classic glass-lined tanks. That's all they have for sale there. I have zero knowledge as to their longevity.

Lowes.com only sells diaphragm tanks.

My point is BUYER BEWARE! Make sure it is a diaphragm tank, not bladder. If it doesn't say, assume it is a bladder.

As to the inside/outside argument, thanks for a little credit there. I thought of another reason to keep the tank inside:
Any tank will last longer in a dry area of a house rather than outside in a pumphouse. Switches last a lot longer inside, too.

I have a good link to how a tank is replaced:
http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/p...nk/replace.htm

but I dunno WHAT this guy was thinking by not replacing the $10-15 switch while he was there.