Am I too picky? (new pro. WH install issues)

[SteveW]

I'd like to tap into the collected wisdom of this list. I have 2 50-gal water heaters, one of which sprung a leak yesterday (15 yrs old -- about due). Had a local plumbing contractor come out and replaced both units for us. I had been planning to install an expansion tank anyway, and had the tank, shutoff valve, and a boiler valve + water pressure gauge already. I intended to put in 2 tees on the main water line leading into the first WH -- one for the tank (and with a shutoff valve before the tank, to isolate it when it eventually leaks), and another tee for the boiler drain so I could use the pressure gauge. (The owner's manual with the expansion tank says I need to monitor the water pressure and keep it the same as the air pressure in the tank.)

The plumbers who came out today did 2 things which I wish they hadn't:

1. Somehow, the vertical cold water line leading into the 1st WH is no longer plumb -- it's about 1.5 inches off plumb over an 18 inch length -- looks sloppy.

2. They didn't use the shutoff valve I provided to isolate the expansion tank; instead they used it to replace the old shutoff valve for the cold water line into the 1st WH.

Should I do anything about these 2 issues? Is the non-plumb (i.e., not perfectly vertical) water line merely sloppy-looking, or could it mean that a joint is stressed and may be more prone to leaking down the road? Do I call the contractor back out for something like this, or am I just too picky?

Also, isn't it good practice to put a valve inline with an expansion tank, so that when it fails, you can easily isolate it without shutting off the house supply?

Thanks for your thoughts!
Steve
Omaha, NE

[Plumber2000]

Picture would be nice to see.

[hj]

Is it off plumb because it is hitting something? If not then it was just a sloppy install. You do not have to monitor the water pressure. If you want to check the pressure you can do it at the tank's air valve because it will be at system pressure unless it is removed from the system, as long as the air pressure is not higher than the system pressure or close to zero. If it is neither, it will be adequate. Just shutting a valve to it will not permit you to test its pressure. A valve into the tank will permit slightly easier replacement, but it could also cause a problem if you were to turn it off and then forget to turn it back on. Unless the supply valve was a "good" one, good practice would suggest replacing it, and if you already had a valve, preferably a "good" one, then that would be the place to use it.

[SteveW]

I tried to download a picture but didn't work -- sorry.

HJ: The off-kilter line is not hitting or in the way of anything ... I can live with the sloppy look, but wonder if a joint might be more likely to fail down the road if it's under some stress from things not quite being lined up?

Good thoughts about the valve and not needing to watch water pressure -- now it makes sense that the air pressure in the expansion tank was 60 PSI (same as house water pressure) -- when it had been 40 PSI before the install...

The valve I had bought was a smooth-turning ball valve (I hope that's the right term)-- I guess it should be a good choice as a shutoff valve for the WH since it should allow full flow, right?

Steve

[hj]

Yes on the ball valve, however they come in two versions. A full port one with maximum flow, and one with a smaller opening which will restrict the flow, but probably not enough in a house situation to notice. The joint is probably okay. If the tank were horizontal without some support, then it would be a worry until a hanger was attached to it.

[SteveW]

hj: One thing they did quite well was support the new tank -- it's mounted vertically, and they made a support for it which is screwed it into the basement wall.

Sounds like no real need for a callback to redo the joint.

Thanks again
Steve