You may have heard about an expansion tank and wondered what it does and if you need one. The expansion tank is there on your water heater as a secondary safety device. Learn more about expansion tanks below.
Expansion Tanks in Utah
Back in 2000, the state of Utah passed a law requiring all water meters to have a check valve installed on them to prevent the water from being pushed back through the meter and into the city water supply. When these were installed, it would cause the T & P, or temperature and pressure relief valve, on the water heater to pop off and let water out of the water heater. This is where your expansion tank comes into play.
Expansion tanks are installed on the cold side of the water heater, even though they are called thermal expansion tanks, and here is why. When the heater heats up the water, it naturally expands back through the cold side of the heater because cold water is less dense than hot water.
The expansion tank has an air diaphragm in it (that should be pumped up to the same pressure as the house pressure). When the water heater expands, the expansion tank absorbs that expansion and holds it until it can push that expanded water back into the water heater.
Expert Expansion Tank Services
Your expansion tank should be checked quarterly to verify that it is in good working order. We offer a full water heater tune up to keep your water heater and expansion tank operating at peak efficiency. This will help keep your home safe and in good working condition.
