Is anexpansion tankrequired for a water heater

Some manufacturers may even void your water heater warranty if you have a closed plumbing system but don’t have an expansion tank for your water heater.

So how does that extra pressure affect your water heater? Well, think of thermal expansion in your water heater as bending a paperclip back and forth. Eventually, the paperclips breaks, right?

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The same thing happens to your water heater. Your water heater tank isn’t designed to expand and contract to accommodate for thermal expansion and will eventually burst.

Homes have either “closed” or “open” plumbing systems. In a “closed” plumbing system, water can’t flow back into the city water lines once it enters your home’s plumbing.

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You may have difficulty pinpointing the backflow prevention device on the main water line because these devices vary in appearance.

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As water heats inside the water heater and exceeds the capacity of the tank, the overflow rushes into the expansion tank.

In consultation with plumbers and plumbing industry AVG can offer a range of thermostatic valves and pipework supplied and fitted into boxes ready for installation. The TMV-PIB thermostatic mixing valve plumbed into stainless steel valve boxes to suit requirements. The standard size is 305mm square x 75mm deep. A deeper box is also available 350mm x 75 mm deep for those installations where there may be the need for more complex valve and pipework layouts. All the boxes have a lockable and easily removable stainless steel access door fitted. Other sizes can be designed and manufactured upon request.

These “backflow prevention” devices stop the water from flowing out of your home’s plumbing and back into the municipal water lines.

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When an expansion tank is installed, the extra water volume automatically rushes into the tank. This lowers the water pressure inside your water heater to safe levels, protecting your tank (and other water appliances) from damage.

Here’s what we mean: When water is heated inside your water heater, it expands. This is called “thermal expansion”. For example, the cold water in a standard 50-gallon water heater expands to 52 gallons when heated to 120°F. That extra water volume raises the pressure in your water heater to dangerous levels.

Note: Don’t have a backflow prevention device? Then you have an “open” plumbing system, which allows water to flow back into the city’s water lines as it expands, preventing high water pressure situations. While expansion tanks aren’t required for open water systems, you could still benefit from one. Ask a plumber if you should still consider installing an expansion tank.

Expansion tankLowe's

Now that might not seem so bad but if you don’t have an expansion tank, a closed system doesn’t give expanded water any route for escape, causing damage to your home’s water heater and plumbing.

Backflow prevention devices are always connected to your main water shutoff valve. In Colorado, main water shutoffs are usually located:

The short answer? Most likely. In fact, while the city and county of Denver doesn't require an expansion tank, cities like Boulder require that if you have a “closed” plumbing system, then by law, you must have an expansion tank installed.

For product-specific approval information, please refer to the product’s specification sheet or contact us. For general information regarding any approval certification partners identified in the specification sheet, please visit our certification partners’ websites:

In consultation with plumbers and plumbing industry AVG can offer a range of thermostatic valves and pipework supplied and fitted into boxes ready for installation. The TMV-PIB thermostatic mixing valve plumbed into stainless steel valve boxes to suit requirements. The standard size is 305mm square x 75mm deep. A deeper box is also available 350mm x 75 mm deep for those installations where there may be the need for more complex valve and pipework layouts. All the boxes have a lockable and easily removable stainless steel access door fitted. Other sizes can be designed and manufactured upon request.

If you need an expansion tank installed in your Denver area home, just contact us. We’ll send one of our trusted plumbers to inspect your system and give you a fair quote for the job.

Bottom line: If your home has any kind of backflow prevention device installed on your home’s main water line, your home has a closed plumbing system.

You see, expansion tanks work like shock absorbers on your car. They absorb excess water pressure, protecting your water heater from damage and early failure.