Leaky Valve and Thermal Expansion Tanks

[ballvalve]

If one house in 100 in california has a thermal expansion tank, I would be very surprised.

I save them for closed boilers and radiant heat systems.

And in the country, the house without a pressure reducing valve has all the outdoor plumbing and the well expansion tank to absorb those small expansion issues.

The most reliable expansion tank is a hose dripping a bit over the dogs water bowl.

[LLigetfa]

And in the country, the house without a pressure reducing valve has all the outdoor plumbing and the well expansion tank to absorb those small expansion issues.

The most reliable expansion tank is a hose dripping a bit over the dogs water bowl.

I would think even a city supplied home would have enough frequent consumption to drain off any expansion. My RO system would drain off any excess pressure if I didn't have an air charged tank.

Also would expect hammer stops to act as mini expansion tanks if they are not waterlogged. I installed 6 of the largest hammer stops I could find, each about 16" long and 1" dia. I think they reduce my pump cycling time.

[jadnashua]

Anything that can expand will help. The worst case is starting with a full WH, draining it by say a really long shower, being in the middle of the winter with incoming cold water temps at near freezing, having the WH thermostat set to say 140 or higher, then not using any water while it heats. That would require the maximum volume for your system. Now, not sure how many people do that (if you have teenagers, it may happen often!). Plus, if you are on a well, while technically still required some places, an expansion tank is probably useless, since that tank will absorb the water volume easily. A typical hammer arrester have a very small volume, but as I said, anything that can expand will help. Your washing machine hoses help a bit, too, but they only take so many cycles before they burst. At least with a failed expansion tank, until it has been failed for probably more than a year, won't leak all over and cause major damage. Hopefully, you'd have figured out what was wrong by then and replaced it!

But, adding one is easy, they're cheap, and they work. I don't see much difference between a bladder tank used for your pump and one for thermal expansion...they are essentially the same thing. The expansion tank probably isn't designed to accept the same variation in volume, but it's still a bladder. If you are worried about it, and have a well, change both at the same time the well one dies...the water's off, and you've drained the system, so it only takes a few minutes.

Note, using water during the day has little effect, since the water, after being heated, doesn't change volume (much) if the WH has a decent thermostat.

[Hillbilly Man]

The most reliable expansion tank is a hose dripping a bit over the dogs water bowl.

Dang Dat'll be the way ma still duz it. Werks rite by me. I dunno if id put ma prayerz inta havin wun o dem expandin tanks keepin ma still frum gittin blowed up.

Say Ballvalve dem pitchers ya'll put up of yer north 40.



Imma thinkin we mite git tagether n set up a cupulla stills der.
Dat be sum dang fine place ta do it in ma mind.
we kin prolly grewed a croppa wildwood weed to.

A lil bitta tax free incum never hurt nobuddy.

[ballvalve]

At pot harvest time, you can watch the helicopters study the canyons. Used to be quite the dangerous place to hike.

Not too sucessful anymore, fire cleaned it up, not enough tree cover or roads, and as you can see, a guy with binoculars can watch the whole world.

Trouble with stills is that after all the work, the $8.99 vodka is better and cheaper at the store.

[Hillbilly Man]

Trouble with stills is that after all the work, the $8.99 vodka is better and cheaper at the store.

Them's fightin words right thar! My hooch is a whollota bunch bettern any cheap dang vodka you kin get in a store.
I tender ya an offer that kin make ya a buncha money an thats how you come back at me.

Ima thinkin you mama didn't get the jobba raisin ya dun rite.

[jadnashua]

If one house in 100 in california has a thermal expansion tank, I would be very surprised.

1000 lemmings run off the cliff, does that mean you have to also?

[ballvalve]

It means that the code officials do not see it as needed, thank god.

[Hillbilly Man]

It means that the code officials do not see it as needed, thank god.

I here'd tell dey dunt usem much in China, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Mexico eethur.

Ain't Californya part of Mexico? Must bee a lotta bad plumbing der.

[ballvalve]

They dont have too much hot water there either.

And California was owned by the India[ns] and then the Russians, and then the Spanish. Then the Americans had it for awhile, and now its Spanish and India indians again. And some Berkely intellectuals. Which means we have plenty of small leaks in our plumbing to keep us from wasting money on those campell soup cans with a balloon in them.