Water Heater Thermal Expansion Tank Required

This is called thermal expansion.

Water heater thermal expansion tank required.

One 50 gallon water heater for instance can be served by a 2 gallon expansion tank. You need a thermal expansion solution that is adequately sized for your plumbing system. For example the cold water in a standard 50 gallon water heater expands to 52 gallons when heated to 120 f. What size expansion tank do i need.

That said it may still be a requirement of the owner s insurance carrier or the standard specification of the engineer. Local inspectors or local code requirements may still require the label. Since water expands when it is heated due to thermal expansion the water heater creates extra water volume every time it heats water. The water heater expansion tank serves as an overflow receptacle by absorbing excess water volume that occurs when water is heated as well as absorbing fluctuations in the incoming water supply pressure.

You can usually get an expansion tank for under 50. The expansion tank serves as a backup system to prevent overworking your plumbing. Here s what we mean. A thermal expansion tank used on a water heater that is not covered by the code should not be required to carry the asme label.

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. 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. When water is heated inside your water heater it expands. This ultimately protects it from damage.

That extra water volumeraises the pressurein your water heater to dangerous levels.