When it comes to industrial-grade pressure vessels (which are genuinely terrifying BTW), the first step is to inspect the damage. In a backyard setting, most people don’t have access to ultrasonic testing, radiographic imaging, or any of the other fancy tools professionals use—so yeah, that might be the end of the project right there.

The danger doesn’t magically disappear, but at least the tank probably won’t obliterate your entire house if it fails. Probably. No guarantees though, but you can safely expect to see a hole in a wall and any people standing in the line of fire.

Once you’ve figured out how bad the damage is, you’re left with two options: repair or scrap. If you don’t know whether there are other weak spots lurking in the tank, you’re basically playing Russian roulette—with shrapnel. Not my favorite variety, but you do you.

If you’ve somehow made it this far and still think repair is the way to go, here’s what that might look like:

You could weld a reinforcing plate over the damaged area. Ideally, you’d also do a proper stress test afterward to make sure it’s not just a ticking time bomb with a fresh coat of misguided confidence.

And if (or when) the tank fails and someone gets decapitated, it’s good to have documentation ready—so it’s clear who gets to explain things to the judge. That means keeping track of who did the repair, how it was done, what materials were used, and where they came from etc. Bonus points if the paperwork is legible.