Incorrectly installed, but yep.
Water heater expansion tanks. Why are they an extra?
- Thread starter LVSteve
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Have had a Rheem branded Rinnai tankless for 10 years now, and aside from annual flushing the only thing I've done is clean the flame sensors.
Happy camper.
4 minutes? Are you descaling with vinegar?
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Is this an expansion tank? It is connected to the incoming water line.
I have never seen an expansion tank installed quite like that one!
I have never seen an expansion tank installed quite like that one!
The elastic tie down is a nice touch
Without a pressure relief valve a water heater is basically a boiler just waiting to explode. The Mythbusters did an episode that showed the damage potential for a water heater without a working pressure relief valve. IIRC when it blew, the water heater went straight up through both floors AND the roof of a two story structure - and STILL had enough energy to fly nearly 100 feet into the air above the roof of the structure.
I was a facility maintenance supervisor for a fortune 100 company for 26 years. Every year we did a full audit of all the systems in every building - electrical, gas, plumbing, roof, doors, basically EVERYTHING. It was called a Facility Asset Protection Audit.
One of the plumbing items on the audit was to verify that there was a pressure relief valve installed on EVERY water heater - and that it was in proper operating condition (not leaking. corroded, OR stuck closed).
That tells me that a working pressure relief valve ISN'T optional - it is essential.
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DWalt
Member
I looked at installing one of those seven or eight years ago. The cost of installation was going to be exorbitant (partly because new larger gas lines would have to be run -a big job) and a plumber told me that he did not recommend them because the local water supply is high in minerals and scaling up would have been a problem. So I stayed with a tank heater.
I remember seeing a video showing a demonstration of an exploding tank water heater. Very impressive. It went about 50 feet straight up. It would have done extensive damage if it happened inside a home.
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All the homes I've lived in I installed a whole house water filtration system. That in turn prolongs the life of any water heater, storage tank and its components. Plus, it removes chlorine and all the bad stuff as well.
Well water here so expansion tank is part of the normal operating system.They seem to last about 25 years before the bladder ruptures.
I had piping replaced....
...and in order to bring it up to code, they put in an expansion tank. I'm not sure what the benefit is, I never needed one before. I'll have to look it up. BUT:
IF THE FIX INVOLVES RUNNING PIPES IN THE CEILING watch out for freezing. I lived in a slab house that had pipes in the cellings and they froze. While we were at work the pipes thawed out. There were five splits all around the house and the ceiling fell in. It was an awful mess.
...and in order to bring it up to code, they put in an expansion tank. I'm not sure what the benefit is, I never needed one before. I'll have to look it up. BUT:
IF THE FIX INVOLVES RUNNING PIPES IN THE CEILING watch out for freezing. I lived in a slab house that had pipes in the cellings and they froze. While we were at work the pipes thawed out. There were five splits all around the house and the ceiling fell in. It was an awful mess.
taz666
Member
Water damage is the worst.
Many posts in this thread seem to be talking about two separate issues. A "pressure tank" commonly seen installed in a well fed h2o system is not the same as an "expansion tank" installed on a hydronic heating system.
Your water heaters are all fitted with a "pressure relief valve" by law. That valve exhaust can be plumbed into the waste side of the water system in the home.
Those with piping in the slab for heat are experiencing rotting pipe .. chemicals in the concrete attacking the copper. Old technique no longer used. Now it's PEX plumbed.
Many posts in this thread seem to be talking about two separate issues. A "pressure tank" commonly seen installed in a well fed h2o system is not the same as an "expansion tank" installed on a hydronic heating system.
Your water heaters are all fitted with a "pressure relief valve" by law. That valve exhaust can be plumbed into the waste side of the water system in the home.
Those with piping in the slab for heat are experiencing rotting pipe .. chemicals in the concrete attacking the copper. Old technique no longer used. Now it's PEX plumbed.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
Looks like a big white *** with a blue *****I have never seen an expansion tank installed quite like that one!
My heater is outside my home in a little shed affixed to the outside wall of the house. If she blows, she blows. When it inevitable happens, I call my friend (plumber), he picks up one from the supply store while I partially deconstruct the shed to get at the old one. About an hour job to swap them out-about another hour for me to reconstruct the shed.
Take the old one to the boat launch for the kids to shoot up
(Just kidding-I take it to the transfer station)Actually, the thinking behind your version of building wealth and the "own nothing" theory are essentially the same: OWE nothing.
My sister bought a fairly new house down in Charleston, SC. Some area called John's Island. Built on a slab, and the water heater and furnace is in the attic, just waiting to cause serious water damage. They put in a new furnace/AC system when they moved in. I told them to get a service contract with the installer, but BIL said it's new so they don't need one! The air filter is in the return air grate in the ceiling. Just looking at it I can see it's installed wrong. I didn't say a thing, but I told them now is when you want to start a maintenance contract, not when the coil &/or drains are plugged up. But what do I know?! Also, he thinks he has a heat pump. That's the 1st one I saw with no reversing valve. They are both good people and I don't wish any damage to their house, but this isn't something you cheap out on. I mentioned something about changing the oil in his car...crickets!!
If the water heater is done right, it should be in a leak proof pan and have a drain in the pan going to a plumbed in drain or outside. In Montana it isn't uncommon to see a rubber stock tank in a crawl space install. If it fills with water, you bucket it then punch a small hole.
OP
LVSteve
Member
Details are a little short, but I'm pretty sure the plumber plans to run the pipes in the ceiling between the ground and floor and the upstairs. Here in Vegas we are fortunate that long, very hard, freezes like the one they had in Texas a few years ago are highly unlikely.
If the plumber wants to go up into the attic area, there is fibreglass up the wazoo in there to keep the heat out of the house. I'm getting second opions on this job, and I'll want some detail as to how the task will be achieved before I cut a deposit.
I'm not sure you are talking about the same thing that this thread is about.
If you have a private well, with an underground pump and an above-ground "expansion tank", that is different from the water heater expansion tank that this thread is all about.
I just got back from my mom's place in southern Arizona where everyone has their own private well. The well/pumping system on mom's property includes an 80-gallon tank with a 40-gallon internal bladder to regulate pressure and reduce the "start up" load on the submersible pump in their well. I had to pay someone to replace their pressure tank because the internal bladder had developed a leak.
FWIW. that is a different situation/issue than installing a little 2-3 gallon expansion tank on a water heater.
The overall principle is pretty much the same - but in the case of the water heater - the job (and the costs) are on a much smaller scale.
Owning and maintaining a private well raises things to a whole 'nother level compared to maintaining your home's plumbing when you are connected to a public water system.
I very recently learned all about that - the HARD way - trying to solve the water supply issues at my mom's place.
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DWalt
Member
We had a 1/4" copper tubing line in the attic, the water line to the refrigerator ice maker, rupture during the great Texas freeze of 2022. One split about 1/2" long. But it did a huge amount of damage.
Yeah, it is amazing how much damage can be done by even the smallest leak in the smallest water line...
DWalt
Member
Yes. Had to replace the wood dining room floor, half of the kitchen ceiling, and about 20 sf of wallboard.
That's what I'm wondering about our tank. The previous owner had well water and then changed over to the Rural water Authority. You can see the capped off well water system in the photo.
cmj8591
Member
I'm ashamed to say I scanned this whole post looking for that.
Yeah OWING nothing should be the ultimate goal for everyone IMO.
But when you're too old to work and owe nothing but also OWN nothing that's a much worse position to be in than owing nothing and owning a home that is worth a few hundred thousand bucks!
When you don't have sufficient income and own nothing, the welfare system determines where and how you live - and in some cases THEY even determine IF you live (rationed/poorer health care).
On the other hand, when you don't have enough income and you can sell your home and have a few hundred grand to invest, then YOU get a lot more say-so about where and how you live and what kind of care you get.
I'll take door number 2 thank you
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