When purchasing a suitable rain water tank model in Adelaide, no doubt one of the first topics to consider is the right size. One of the major factors that muddy this decision is salespeople trying to upsell. While opting for a slightly roomy tank is a wise choice, selecting a style that is grossly too big will be a complete waste of money and precious garden space. The goal is to capture the closest volume to what you comfortably use, with bigger not necessarily being better. So, here we will look at the factors that you should chat to your tank supplier about, as well as some more general size estimates.
Obviously, the rainfall in your area will determine the size. However, this is far from the only consideration, and some customers have been known to place far too weighty an emphasis on this element alone. Here in Adelaide we enjoy over 550 mL of rain on average per year. In short, this is a decent amount and certainly makes a solid harvesting effort worthwhile, but it is certainly not the most in Australia.
The next two factors are usually related. First of all, the area of your roof will limit how much of this water you could possibly hope to capture. There is no point in installing a huge tank in a heavy rainfall area to support a large family if they are all cramped under a little roof. A medium sized roof is considered to be around 150m², or 5m x 10m. When talking to a professional about your roof size, it is best to estimate or measure the length and the width and calculate an area. Of course, this can be difficult with roofs which jut out all over the place, but a rough estimate is better than blindly guessing.
Next to consider is the number of people who will be consuming the water. Helpfully, SA Water now offers statistics and comparisons on their quarterly water bill. You can look at the average usage for a family of your size. Many people who note that they are above average do not realise the extent, and so this can help you predict the amount of water that you would realistically use while being a little more sparing. I say these two are usually related as there are some clear exceptions. Most importantly are two storey houses, particularly townhouses. Being built vertically on a tiny block, they can house a large number of people quite easily but the roof space is not proportionate.
Adelaide is certainly ahead of the curve when it comes to leading the charge on rainwater usage. An Impressive 49% of Adelaide homes use some rainwater, compared to only 26% nationally. This is almost double. Further, the rest of the state is also doing incredibly well. 83% of homes outside the capital city in our state use rainwater to some degree, compared with 37% nationwide. In fact, if looking at a ten year average, South Australia was the top state in relying on rainwater.
A professional tank company will be able to perform some minor calculations and determine your ideal sized tank. As a guide, residential tanks generally vary anywhere between 1,400L and 14,000L. If you know for a fact you are at the top or the bottom of this spectrum, the choice is easy. The hard part is working out where in the middle majority your family sits. To help with this Important Rain Water Tank Decision in Adelaide, have a chat to the always honest Taylor Made Tanks.
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