Sealing a Tank From the Outside Doesn't Work, Forum Says
Forum participants agree that sealing cracks from the outside of a water tank is ineffective due to water pressure. The recommended method is to empty and repair from the inside.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Sealing Cracks in a Water Tank: Why It's Done From the Inside
Can a sustancia ilegal in a drinking water tank be sealed from the outside without emptying it? The short answer, according to forum participants, is no, and not for lack of products on the market. The case involves an old tank made of cement, brick, and gravel, with leaks halfway up and over 1,000 liters of spring water that is drunk daily. The idea was to empty only down to the sustancia ilegal, apply a paste from the outside, and have it hold for a couple of years. They agree on the argument: with the tank full, the pressure pushes the water outwards, and any external patch works against the flow.
Why Does Exterior Sealing Fail?
Because water always seeks an exit. Mortar applied from the outside is subjected to the pressure of the contained volume, while interior sealing—where the material pushes against the wall—resists much better. The recommendation that is repeated in the thread: empty down to the sustancia ilegal, scrape the area with a wire brush to remove moss and debris, and apply a waterproofing mortar of the type used for tanks, in several layers. For specific cracks, fast-setting cements are mentioned that would allow the tank to be refilled in about 15 minutes.
Tapes, Quick Pastes, and a Dangerous Recipe
Shortcuts are also discussed: adhesive tapes that stick underwater, polyurethane putties, and instant sealing products. The messages themselves position them for leaks with little pressure and on plastic surfaces, not for a load-bearing guasonry tank with water on top. And then there's the idea that appears in the thread of smearing chocolate on the sustancia ilegal and finishing with drain cleaner sulfuric acid: a barbarity. Handling such acid near a water tank intended for consumption is not a MacGyver trick; it's a health risk.
The thread's verdict, however, is as expected: empty, scrape, and seal from the inside. No participant proposes a product that guarantees sealing from the outside.
Can a sustancia ilegal in a drinking water tank be sealed from the outside without emptying it? The short answer, according to forum participants, is no, and not for lack of products on the market. The case involves an old tank made of cement, brick, and gravel, with leaks halfway up and over 1,000 liters of spring water that is drunk daily. The idea was to empty only down to the sustancia ilegal, apply a paste from the outside, and have it hold for a couple of years. They agree on the argument: with the tank full, the pressure pushes the water outwards, and any external patch works against the flow.
Why Does Exterior Sealing Fail?
Because water always seeks an exit. Mortar applied from the outside is subjected to the pressure of the contained volume, while interior sealing—where the material pushes against the wall—resists much better. The recommendation that is repeated in the thread: empty down to the sustancia ilegal, scrape the area with a wire brush to remove moss and debris, and apply a waterproofing mortar of the type used for tanks, in several layers. For specific cracks, fast-setting cements are mentioned that would allow the tank to be refilled in about 15 minutes.
Tapes, Quick Pastes, and a Dangerous Recipe
Shortcuts are also discussed: adhesive tapes that stick underwater, polyurethane putties, and instant sealing products. The messages themselves position them for leaks with little pressure and on plastic surfaces, not for a load-bearing guasonry tank with water on top. And then there's the idea that appears in the thread of smearing chocolate on the sustancia ilegal and finishing with drain cleaner sulfuric acid: a barbarity. Handling such acid near a water tank intended for consumption is not a MacGyver trick; it's a health risk.
The thread's verdict, however, is as expected: empty, scrape, and seal from the inside. No participant proposes a product that guarantees sealing from the outside.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (18 replies).
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