Is the water in the tank getting hot in the scorching heat? This solution will have double benefit

New Delhi: Who would not like to take a bath in this scorching heat? Especially if you get cold water, then it is great. However, if you also use water from a tank, then you will hardly be able to muster the courage to take a bath. This is because the water in the tank remains extremely hot in the scorching sun. If you turn on the shower to take a bath, then as soon as the stream of boiling water hits you, you will scream in frustration. You will feel as if someone has turned on the geyser. At this time, most of the Delhiites must have had similar experiences when the cold water coming out of the taps becomes almost boiling hot. This happens due to the scorching sun.

The water in the tank starts boiling in summer

In Delhi-NCR, the temperature in this month of June is around 45 degrees or even more. In such a situation, plastic water tanks kept on roofs are exposed to temperatures of more than 45 degrees Celsius throughout the day. Due to this, the water in the tank starts boiling. In such a situation, if you go to use water directly from the tank, you will hardly be able to muster the courage to touch it. In such a situation, people adopt different methods to get cold water. Some people store water in drums and buckets. Some people keep the water in an AC room to cool it.

You can keep the water in such a tank cool

Traditionally, there were concrete tanks on the roofs of houses and buildings. However, these have now been replaced by synthetic tanks. The former retain more heat than the latter. This is why tap water is extremely hot even in the early morning when the mercury regularly crosses the 45-degree Celsius mark. People keep planning how to deal with the problem of overheating of water tanks in summer. They also keep the tank covered. However, this does not help much.

Expert told in which tank the water stays cool

To protect the water tank from heating up, Deepti Ranjan Sahu, Professor of Civil Engineering at IIT Delhi, has suggested insulation. This can be a tank jacket made of ultra-violet-resistant materials like foam and fiberglass. However, its cost can be very high. It is better to keep the tank in the shade or some other safe place as it is an economical option. Deepti Ranjan Sahu said that if it is not possible to shift the tank to another place, then its effect can be reduced by building a shady structure over it. This will not only keep the water cool but will also increase the life of the tank because materials like fiberglass and plastic get damaged due to prolonged exposure to the sun.

Covering the tank will provide relief

According to LR Subramaniam, professor of materials science engineering at IIT-Delhi, another option is to use local resources like paddy and wheat straw. Placing thick jute sacks around the tank can block direct sunlight. Painting the tank with reflective paint also helps reduce radiative heat. Subramaniam said that clay pots keep water cool due to the gaps in the material from which they are made. Water stored in such pots spreads and moistens the outer surface, from where it evaporates, absorbing heat in the process and cooling the water inside.

The water tank should be kept in a shaded place

Anil Haritash, head of environmental engineering at Delhi Technological University, suggested that storing water in 100-litre indoor tanks could be an easy solution. he/she said that water from overhead tanks can be transferred to smaller, medium tanks for 2-3 hours until it cools down. These tanks can be placed near rooms, kitchens and toilets. However, the flow in the taps will not be as powerful due to less gravity. Experts felt that a good, practical and environmentally friendly option would be to install solar panels on top of the tanks. As Haritash pointed out, investing in solar panels offers the dual advantage of providing shade for your tank and generating clean energy. The fancy insulation approach may not be environmentally friendly and may also contribute to carbon emissions.