Heat trap water heaterinstallation

So if you want to avoid an unwanted visit from the fire brigade, the best solution is to not expose the system to unnecessary thermal expansion.

In a closed system, the extra water volume that results from heating puts stress on other parts of the plumbing system and can result in broken pipes, leaky taps, relief-line leaks, etc. If the water pressure increase is severe, there can be even more serious damage, possibly posing a safety hazard. For reasons of safety, the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) requires both residential and commercial plumbing systems to have ways to accommodate water heater thermal expansion. But what do you do when you have a monitored fire sprinkler system? You cannot allow expansion relief as any water movement could trigger the alarm system and the next thing you know is the fire brigade is at your door.

Simple physics tells us that when a fluid heats, it expands in volume. This is a distinct problem in any closed water system, which can be identified by any system that has a one-way valve (such as a backflow valve, check valve, or pressure-reducing valve) designed to prevent water from expanding back into the Network Utility Operators water supply. Fire sprinkler lines are examples of closed loop systems separated from the Network Utility Operator's supply.

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When a substance, in this case water, is heated, the kinetic energy of its molecules increase, the molecules begin vibrating/moving more and usually maintain a greater average separation. The relative expansion divided by the change in temperature is called the material's coefficient of thermal expansion and generally varies with temperature.

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In the spirit of reconciliation the Australian Building Codes Board acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

A heat trap is a valve or loop of pipe that allows water to flow into a water heater tank but prevents unwanted hot-water from flowing out of the tank. Heat traps have balls inside that either float or sink into a seat, which stops convection. These specially designed valves come in pairs. The valves are designed differently for use in either the hot or cold water line.

A pair of heat traps costs only around $30. However, unless you can properly solder a pipe joint, heat traps require professional installation by a qualified plumbing and heating contractor. Therefore, heat traps are most cost effective if they're installed at the same time as the water heater. Today, many new storage water heaters have factory-installed heat traps or have them available as an option.

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The problem is more likely to occur in the tropics and northern parts of Australia and there is empirical evidence of burst pipe joints and leaking valves. The incidence is almost always when the sprinkler line is close to the uninsulated roof or an uninsulated western wall.

Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change in shape, area and volume in response to a change in temperature. Peter explains the problems that thermal expansion can cause in a closed sprinkler system and how the PCA can help manage the problem.

If your storage water heater doesn't have heat traps, you can save energy by adding them to your water heating system. They can save you around US$15–$30 on your water heating bill by preventing convective heat losses through the inlet and outlet pipes.

Explanatory information in PCA 2016, BP1.2 - Unintentional Heating of Cold Water Services includes outlines possible solutions to avoid the problem (see below). This is also covered in AS/NZ 3500.1 - 2018 Clause 5.4.1 - Notes (4).