Water tank sealing in Al Tandabawi Makkah
Al Tandabawi is an old suburb a short walk west of the centre, between Al Shubaikah and Al Hindawiyah streets, where tight lanes such as Al Makwar and Harat Al Yaman preserve a medieval street pattern. Tanks here are very old with chronic leaks from cracks, rust and age, and many are stacked in cramped spaces.
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Potable-rated materials
Linings and disinfectants cleared for drinking water tanks, not general-purpose products.
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You get the downtime first
How many hours the tank is out of service, told before we start rather than after we finish.
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A first-draw flush
We run the first draw off after refilling, and the tank is not handed back until the water runs clear.
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Ground and roof tanks
Villas, apartment blocks and premises that need a written record of each visit.
Why the job is different in Al Tandabawi
Most tanks here were built thirty years or more ago from red cement, and some have never received serious sealing since first installation. The method is set out in full on what Water tank sealing involves.
Stacked and very old tanks
Lanes are very tight and space is scarce so tanks are stacked horizontally on roofs. Old tanks have rust eating walls from inside and out. Some old tanks are covered in rust patches and random repairs.
Cracks and chronic leaks from age
Tanks that have stood thirty years or more crack from drying and direct sun and heat exposure. Cracks widen every year and water seeps slowly from below and through walls.
Small hotels and shops demand constant repainting
Small hotels and retail shops in the lanes use tanks intensively. Repeated filling and chemical cleaning speed up coating breakdown and old sealant failure.
Al Tandabawi on the map
Al Tandabawi sits about 0.5 km from Al Mansour and about 1 km from Al Shubaikah.
Open in Google MapsWhat we read before any material is opened
An old suburb in the near-centre zone west of downtown, between Al Shubaikah and Al Hindawiyah streets, with an interwoven structure of very narrow lanes such as Al Makwar and Harat Al Yaman and Al Mansour Street on its western edge. A mix of old and new buildings, small hotels and retail shops thread through.
Cracking in the wall
Rust inspection focuses on brown and red staining on interior and exterior walls, especially at the base and around pipe entries.
The floor to wall joint
Crack inspection reveals fine and deep lines that spread over time from drying, heat and continuous shrinkage.
The condition of the old lining
Pipe entries are broken and rusted from long age and weak connections.
Sediment and scale
Moisture pooling beneath the tank shows slow continuous leak from cracks and base.
The pipe entries
Original coating is flaking and broken with no intact interior protection.
The hatch and the vent
Discolouration, heavy deposits and strange odours indicate advanced reaction between water, rust and exposed concrete.
How we work
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1
Inspect with the tank empty
We drain it and read the surface dry: whether the water leaves through a crack, a joint or a pipe collar, and what the outer face of the wall and the ceiling below are telling us. A level test with the valves closed separates a leaking tank from leaking pipework.
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2
Clean and prepare the substrate
Sediment out, a high pressure wash, the loose old lining and the weak surface layer of the concrete taken back, then dried. The material grips sound substrate and nothing else.
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3
Make the cracks and joints good
Cracks are chased out and filled with a repair mortar, a cove is formed where the floor meets the wall, and every pipe collar is treated on its own.
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4
Lining, fill test, sterilisation
Successive coats, each run across the one beneath it, on the face the water touches. Then a full cure, a fill with the level watched, and sterilisation with the first fill run to waste before the tank returns to use.
What water tank sealing includes
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Finding where the water leaves
Carried out drained and dry: cracks, joints, pipe collars and the outer face of the wall.
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Draining and sediment removal
The last of the water and the settled layer on the floor come out, because a lining does not stick over sediment.
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Cracks and joints made good
The crack opened and filled, a cove formed at the floor to wall junction, and each pipe entry worked separately.
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Lining coats on the water face
More than one coat, each crossing the one below, in material made for drinking water tanks rather than roof waterproofing.
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Curing, fill test and sterilisation
The material is left to cure, the tank is filled and the level watched, then sterilised and the first fill run to waste. How long the cure takes follows the material and the weather, and we tell you before the date so you can plan around the supply.
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A follow-up level check
We come back once it is in service to read the level and check the outer face, because any remaining loss shows up then rather than on the day of the work.
The character of Al Tandabawi
Historic district: close-set buildings, narrow lanes and ageing services
The tight historic quarter means tanks are very old and stacked in less than ideal ways. Access is difficult and movement requires care because space is very limited. Sealing here must keep the tank in place and address deep rust and cracks that have built up over decades.
Questions about this district
Should very old tanks in Al Tandabawi be sealed or replaced?
If walls are not too thin from rust, sealing is worth doing. Replacing a tank in tight lanes is difficult and the cost of replacement exceeds the cost of good sealing.
Why do cracks return after repair?
Very old tanks keep shrinking from drying. Unless the root cause is treated, such as external insulation against heat, cracks return.
Is minor leaking safe for drinking if the tank is clean inside?
If the leak is very small it may not affect the water. But leaking means contaminants from soil or internal rust can enter slowly and taint water over time.
Can we seal stacked tanks from above or must they be dismantled?
If safely stacked and accessible, we seal from above. If unsafe or inaccessible, temporary dismantling may be needed.
How long does sealing take in such tight lanes?
Access is difficult and we may need to move the tank temporarily. Treatment takes longer than in other areas for logistical reasons.
Does chemical cleaning speed up tank deterioration?
Yes, strong chemicals react with rust and coating. If sealing is not tight, repeated cleaning hastens breakdown.
How much does water tank sealing in Al Tandabawi cost?
It is set after the inspection, because the price follows the type of infestation, the size of the space, how far it has spread and the number of visits it needs. Send a photo and a description on WhatsApp and we will give you an estimate before we reach Al Tandabawi.
Nearby districts we cover
Other services in Al Tandabawi
Other services we provide to residents of Al Tandabawi.
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Water tanks
Water tank cleaning
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Water tanks
Water tank sterilization
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Water tanks
Tank leak repair
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Residential
Cockroach control
Need water tank sealing in Al Tandabawi? Tell us what you saw and we will tell you what it needs
We reach Al Tandabawi at a time we agree, and you get the full cost before we start.