Evaluating Your Polyethylene Chemical Storage Tank Warranty

Safe and effective chemical storage is expensive, and it might be tempting to purchase a chemical storage system without the added cost of a solid warranty, or with no warranty at all. The problem with that approach is that it might actually cost more in the long term to pay for expensive replacements and repairs.

This is why it is important to choose a chemical storage tank provider that offers a clear, comprehensive warranty that is easy to understand and that covers you in case of a problem. There are things you should understand when evaluating your warranty.

Warranty Evaluation By Chemical

When evaluating any tank warranty, you’ll want to make sure that the starting point is the chemical that you are storing. Depending on the type of chemical you are storing, your warranty will differ. Stricter guidelines apply to chemicals that are more challenging to store. Three very challenging chemicals that we can effectively store are: 

Sodium Hypochlorite

This aggressive oxidizer presents a number of challenges to any storage tank provider. Ultraviolet light can degrade the chemical’s integrity and the transition metals in the chemical can build up on the bottom of the tank and cause off-gassing. Additionally the hypochlorite present acts as a highly corrosive oxidizer, able to harm the integrity of tanks not built for the task.

With over 40 years of storage expertise, we’ve designed our warranty to accurately reflect the ideal storage system for sodium “hypo” that will be the most effective. We recommend a high-density cross-linked polyethylene vertical tank with IMFO® and an anti-oxidizing OR-1000™ interior surface for this application. The IMFO® fitting provides a full-tank drain, meaning no sediment buildup. The OR-1000™ antioxidant system prevents the oxidative attack to the sidewall that occurs when storing a highly corrosive chemical in a polyethylene tank.

Poly Processing can offer a 5 year warranty for storing Sodium Hypochlorite with these added safety benefits. When you choose to not include the IMFO fitting, the warranty is reduced to 3 years.

Sulfuric Acid

Because of the weight of this chemical the tank must be designed carefully.  It is also a heavy oxidizer, meaning any storage solution should include our more robust high-density XLPE and an OR-1000™ anti-oxidant inner surface. Depending on the size you are looking for and the concentration of the chemical, we recommend the SAFE-Tank for 110% containment of your sulfuric acid. We increase the wall thickness to 2.2 and limit the capacity of the tank itself to maximize longevity. Poly Processing can offer a 3-year warranty for storing Sulfuric Acid.

Hydrochloric Acid

This highly corrosive chemical also creates toxic fumes, potentially harming equipment and the environment around it. Because of its extreme fuming nature, there is a checklist of things to go through to make sure the design of the tank is correct. When stored properly, hydrochloric acid is found in a high-density cross-linked polyethylene tank that includes a scrubber and IMFO fitting. 

Poly Processing’s OR-1000™ system is ideal for HCl storage. OR-1000™ has proven so effective in containing HCl that systems using it have a 5-year warranty. These tanks bring you the strength of high-density cross-linked polyethylene with an antioxidant inner surface. 

What’s Included in the Chemical Storage Tank Warranty?

Another thing you will want to investigate is what exactly is included in your tank warranty. If a fitting needs to be repaired, we come fix the fitting. In the event a tank needs to be replaced, we provide a replacement tank, freight included, with all the fittings and accessories the original purchase included. Please see page 37 of our Installation Guide for full details on the warranties available for each of our chemical storage tanks.

What Will Nullify a Warranty?

If a tank is not used the way it was designed to be used, flaws can occur that are not covered by a warranty. This means that any repairs or replacements will cost you more money and the warranty is void and null.

It’s important to be very clear with your tank supplier about the use of your chemical storage tank so that the correct tank is found for you. Chemical manufacturing service, rental service, mobile service, and elevated temperature service are special applications.

Contact Poly Processing Company for warranty options for these applications.

At Poly Processing Company, we're proud to transparently offer one of the strongest warranties in the chemical storage tank industry.  We know the real test of any warranty is the service supplied when an issue is encountered. We're proud to have a proven track record of backing the tanks we manufacture 100%.

For more information on your chemical storage tank warranty, speak to a storage expert today.