Draining and removing cold water tank

[Glastoun]

We have a metal cold water tank in the loft that is no longer supplies anything (everything has been transferred to the mains) but is still full and linked to the mains. How much would we be looking at to get it disconnected, drained, and the pipes and tank removed?　


The tank would need to be cut to get out of the loft - how can we be sure there's no asbestos in it?

 

[Burnerman]

One way is to cap the water supply to the tank, and then empty it using a syphon into a bucket or six. The tank outlets can then be cut and removed.
It sounds like it is an elderly galvanised steel tank - if it is there's sure to be some nasty rusty sludge in the bottom.
As for asbestos - very unlikely really but a photo or two could help! Often enough these tanks are left up there but if it has to be cut, then its out with the angle grinder. I make sure the sparks land on a wet towel or whatever, and inspect the location for an hour or so later.
John

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

As John says, there'll be no asbestos in the cistern itself if its metal, the danger always lurks in the insulation that was used in that era, if any is still present.

Wet Vac may help to clean it out before cutting up, but then a drop of water in the bottom wont hurt to suppress sparks when cutting it up.

 

[Terrywookfit]

Just isolate and drain it.
The fookin thing has been up there for 60 years doing no harm.

 

[Bosswhite]

As he says ^^^^^^^

To take an Angle Grinder and cut metal in a roof space is asking for trouble, been in many Roof Spaces that have more than one old tank left there.

 

[ianmcd]

most likely galvanised, I had a dear friend that died of Zinc poisoning , please make sure you use proper face masks if you decide to cut it with any kind of abrasive disc, too many of us have just jumped in there in the past and thought it would never happen to us

 

[Glastoun]

Quote of £240ish to cap pipes and drain (but not remove) tank, inc materials - seems OTT or am I missing something? Would be looking to get pipes stopped as low to the ground as possible, not just capping them up in the loft leaving a few dead legs still linked to the mains.

 

[Madrab]

Quote of £240ish to cap pipes and drain (but not remove) tank, inc materials - seems OTT or am I missing something? Would be looking to get pipes stopped as low to the ground as possible, not just capping them up in the loft leaving a few dead legs still linked to the mains.

Yup, supply pipe should be taken off the mains feed as close to the branch point as possible. Bad practice to just cap at outlet leaving a extended dead leg, unless it is major upheaval to get to the branch. What materials did they mention? If it's a single feed then it's normally just changing a Tee for a straight coupler or elbow. Old supply and distribution pipework can stay where it is if it's disconnected and dry unless it really needs to be taken out.