Unusual one this... Live in the country in a old cottage- get lots of
flies in the loft, which manage to get into the water tank. So when we
have a bath the bits end up in the bath. 2 questions..
1. How can I best clean tank, should I just give it a good mix and then
run the hot tap to allow all the bits to run through, or am I best to
empty it with buckets, block the outlet with say a cork and mop the
bits up?
2. Hoe can I reduce/stop them getting into the tank. Can I buy a mesh
to cover the tank- at the moment it has a wood on the top and a gap for
the overflow?? pipe coming in the top. Can I just cover it with plastic?

wrote in message
oups.com...
Unusual one this... Live in the country in a old cottage- get lots of
flies in the loft, which manage to get into the water tank.

Get a proper modern tank with a tight fitting lid and a filter on the
overflow pipe.

wrote:
Unusual one this... Live in the country in a old cottage- get lots of
flies in the loft, which manage to get into the water tank. So when we

It is most unusual to say this but, I agree with Drivel.

If you're up for a bit of pipework and have a few tools, a new bylaw 30
compliant tank is the only way to go.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...01561&ts=17762

Link posted to show you what's involved, www.BES.ltd.uk etc., & your
local plumbers' merchants will offer something similar. It needs to sit
on a WBP plywood base, lever handled ball-valves on the outlets,
service valve on the mains inlet. Pushfit plastic plumbing puts this
within the abilities of any moron, even a few plumbers have managed to
install one properly. Plastic pipes won't split if they freeze (unlike
copper) and you avoid the fire risk involved with soldering. Insulate
everything painstakingly before winter.

The flies plus any dust, dirt, leaves will be contaminating the water
system and acting as nutrients for any bugs that have colonized the hot
water system, legionella being the best known. Besides which, you will
inadvertently ingest some water in washing and you risk food poisoning.


What is attracting the flies, anyway? There's no flies in most lofts,
nothing that would attract flies. Adjacent soil & vent pipe end? Dead
rat/squirrel/body/bird concealed under the insulation? Disgruntled
plumber had a dump?

wrote in message
oups.com...
Unusual one this... Live in the country in a old cottage- get lots of
flies in the loft, which manage to get into the water tank. So when we
have a bath the bits end up in the bath. 2 questions..
1. How can I best clean tank, should I just give it a good mix and then
run the hot tap to allow all the bits to run through, or am I best to
empty it with buckets, block the outlet with say a cork and mop the
bits up?
2. Hoe can I reduce/stop them getting into the tank. Can I buy a mesh
to cover the tank- at the moment it has a wood on the top and a gap for
the overflow?? pipe coming in the top. Can I just cover it with plastic?

You need a close fitting lightproof lid, which should have a screened air
inlet fitted, to allow air in and out as the water level changes. The
warning pipe / overflow should also have an insect screen fitted. Finally,
the expansion pipe, which is the one coming in through the top, needs a
close fitting adaptor where it passes through the lid. The whole lot is
usually sold as a water byelaw kit, although the water byelaws were actually
repealed and replaced by The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999,
which also requires water storage tanks to be light and insect proof.

Colin Bignell

On 19 Jun 2006 02:28:17 -0700 someone who may be
"
wrote this:-

1. How can I best clean tank,

Replace the whole thing with a modern one that will keep the things
out.

You should probably then add something reasonably mild to sterilise
the pipes, drain it out and then raise the cylinder temperature
temporarily and draw water through all outlets in order to kill off
excessive concentrations of nasties. Obviously this needs to be done
with suitable safety precautions.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54