Leaking header tank

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Afternoon all,

The cold water tank in the loft (approximately year 2000, plastic) must be leaking. I can see a few inlets/outlets, none of which have any water around them. The water seems to be coming from underneath, as though the tank has a crack or puncture. No idea how after being in place 18 years. Just age?

I've turned the cold supply off, and drained the tank.

I'm going to look for a leak now, but what to do if I find it?? Or if I don't?

Any tips anyone?
 
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What is it supported on? Post some photis
 
Wooden arrangement of ply and 3x2. Going up now. Update in 10 mins.
 
is the water from your hot-water cylinder sometimes surprisingly hot?
 
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OK, so it's 4x2 and tongued and grooved, not ply...but yeah...

Drained the tank down to the last inch but there's nothing obvious. Probably wherever the split is was caused by a metal re-inforcing bar being out of place down one side, causing the whole side to bow out.

I'm thinking new tank then. Any tips?
 
Attempting photo's...
 

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Could it be condensation forming on the cold sides of the tank.. ?

Tank sides are dry as a bone. I've taken the lagging off and there's not a drop on either the tank walls or the plastic lagging coating.

Plus, to be fair, we only know about it because it's stained the ceiling below. That's a lot of condensation!
 
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On closer inspection, where the metal re-enforcement bar wasn't fitted properly and the tank bowed out, it looks like there's a tiny split in the plastic. On the pic above there's a limescale stain where I assume the leak was.

I've got to DIY it because my missus is off long term sick and we're skint...any way to bodge this? The split looks like it's about a foot below the water line.

If not I can find a 50 gallon tank from Screwfix for £150. Any advice on better/cheaper? Any good 'how to' guides?
 
You could always lower the float valve to below the crack (temporary repair) until you get a new one fitted.

Andy
 
I'm filling it now back to just below the assumed split....it's not visible inside, but outside on a corner it feels like the plastic has split. It's no more than a pin prick, but it could have been there for months. The wood under the tank is saturated but feels solid. Should dry out.

I'm going to only half-fill the tank. If it doesn't leak after that, I'll fill it an inch above where I think the crack is and see what happens...
 

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