Water Expansion Tanks in Boiling Springs, SC
Good service is worth sharing.
It is not uncommon for a homeowner to be unaware of thermal expansion until a relief valve is dripping or a faucet starts to sputter. The reality is that as water warms, it wants to expand, and in a modern house it has to have somewhere to go. That is where a water expansion tank comes in. It provides the necessary room for that water while shielding your water heater, fixtures and plumbing from damaging pressure spikes. In Boiling Springs, with homes built to last and put together for comfort, this unassuming tank is of considerable importance. At Pro-Flo Plumbing we install, test and replace expansion tanks to keep your hot water system running safe and quiet.
What an Expansion Tank Does
Think of an expansion tank as a small pressurized vessel on the cold water line by the heater.
- A flexible diaphragm keeps an air chamber apart from the water within.
- When the water heater does its job and the water volume increases, the extra is forced into the tank to compress the air cushion rather than building up pressure in the rest of the house.
- Once you use some water, the tank puts it back in the system.
- Lacking that kind of buffer, pressure can get high enough to put undue stress on your pipes and appliances or make the temperature and pressure relief valve let off some water.
Why Homes Here Often Need One
There was a time when expanding water could simply push back into the city main to ease the strain. Not anymore. Backflow protection is in place to safeguard the drinking supply, and South Carolina requires public water systems to maintain cross-connection control programs. Spartanburg Water, for example, typically installs a dual check valve at the residential meter for this reason. It is good for the water supply, but it effectively makes your plumbing a closed system, as would a pressure regulator at the main. Hence the plumbing code’s insistence on thermal expansion control for most closed systems with a water heater.
Signs Your Expansion Tank Has a Problem
- The pressure relief valve drips or discharges when the water heater runs.
- Banging pipes, often called water hammer, when a faucet is turned off.
- Water pressure that spikes and then falls, or a gauge that reads above 80 PSI.
- A waterlogged tank: the tank feels full or heavy and gives no air when the valve is pressed.
- Leaks or rust around the tank or its fittings.
- Faucets or toilet fill valves that fail earlier than expected.
Installation and Replacement
We handle the installation in short order. We measure your water pressure, size the tank to suit your water heater and settings, set the air charge and make the connection to the cold supply line with the right supports. Anything of a certain weight needs to be strapped or bracketed. While we are at it, we inspect the shutoff and relief valves and the pressure regulator, since they are all interrelated. An expansion tank should give you five to ten years of service, and if it is time for a change we often do it in conjunction with a water heater repair or upgrade, even a tankless conversion.
A new water heater generally means a permit is needed from the city or county, and the code will want to see a working expansion tank on a closed system. We see to the paperwork and any required inspections.
Protecting the Whole System
The tank is only part of the equation. High incoming pressure, corrosion or sediment in the tank can take their toll on your equipment. A pressure regulator, an annual flush and a look at the anode rod help every part of your system last longer, and if you have a well or a water softener we can make the necessary adjustments.
Local, Licensed, and Friendly
We live in these neighborhoods and are proud to work here. You can expect fair prices, straight answers and a technician who tells you what is being done and why. Give the Pro-Flo team a call if the pressure is not right or you notice a drip, and we will come out and have a look.
Let’s get your plumbing back on track.
Request a free estimate or call Pro-Flo Plumbing & Drain Cleaning.