Is An Expansion Tank Required For A Water Heater

This may seem like an easy question but it is also one that many people do not actively think about.

Is an expansion tank required for a water heater.

If you have more than one heater on the same or connected system you can either have an expansion tank for each heater or a single larger expansion tank. One 50 gallon water heater for instance can be served by a 2 gallon expansion tank. These restrictions are meant to reduce the risk of co poisoning. Most tank water heater systems now require expansion tanks to help control pressure inside the water heater especially on municipal water supply plumbing systems.

What type of water heater do you have. Expansion tanks aka thermal expansion tanks are essentially safety devices to help you minimize the risk of damage to your hot water tank they are an add on to your existing hot water heater and are often installed on the water supply pipe to the water heater normally this is on the wall next to or very close by your hot water tank. However if you have a traditional tank style water heater you will most definitely need to consider if an. Expansion tanks are required if your system fails a water pressure psi test.

A water heater expansion tank is an additional small thank that is attached to your water heater unit. It is designed to handle that excess water that builds up. In a closed plumbing system a standard tank water heater can stress your plumbing pipes and fixtures through the normal thermal expansion that happens when water is heated. The size tank required is based on water heater capacity and the pressure of the incoming water supply line this is especially important if you have a well pump.

Expansion tank is like a tank that water heater often have so that the pressure inside the main tank would not make the main tank go boom. If the house has a closed plumbing supply meaning there is a check valve or backflow preventer that prohibits the release of water pressure building back into the water main. Both water heaters and boilers for home heating systems can be prone to this kind of damage unless measures are taken to prevent it. If you have a tankless water heater you don t have to worry about an expansion tank because you don t have a primary tank to begin with.

Signs that you need a water heater expansion tank. Most expansion tanks are less than 5 gallons since residential water heaters range from about 30 to 100 gallons. Seriously without an expansion tank there is a chance that your main tank will explode. The expansion tank gives the excess hot water a place to flow into eliminating unnecessary stress on your hot water heater and saving you from inconsistent hot water pressure.