Hot water heaters have a tendency to cause plumbing problems thanks to the fact that water expands as it heats up. Fortunately, it is possible to alleviate such problems by installing a water heater expansion tank. Read on to learn about three ways an expansion tank can benefit you, read on.
Extend Your Water Heater’s Lifespan
As noted above, the volume of water will increase as its temperature rises. This leads to a number of pressure-related issues. That is because the increased volume of water will not have anywhere to go. As a result, it increases the stress on the water heater’s seams, valves, and other components. A water heater expansion tank gives this excess volume of hot water somewhere to go. That way the pressure inside of your tank–and elsewhere–can remain within safe levels.
Fewer Plumbing Repairs
As you may have been able to deduce by now, the high pressure caused by expanding water can have a negative effect on more than just the water heater. Soon the pressure will rise high enough that the water begins pushing outward into the pipes of your plumbing system. This stress can lead to leaky pipes and problems for plumbing fixtures like sinks and toilets. An expansion tank will act to reduce the necessity for repairs to other parts of your plumbing system.
Make Use Of More Hot Water
Finally, an expansion tank will allow you to maximize the amount of hot water available to you. When you turn on a hot water valve, it will automatically draw water from the expansion tank before using what is in the heater itself. Without an expansion tank, that water often goes to waste, since it ends up being pushed out of the heater into cold water pipes where its heat is lost.
If you would like to learn more about how a water heater expansion tank can benefit you, contact Kew Forest Plumbing & Heating.
