During a recent Quality Residential Inspections Home Inspection in Apex, North Carolina, we discovered a poorly installed and deficient water expansion tank installed in the crawl space.

Quality Residential Inspections discovers an unsupported and Leaking expansion tank during an Apex Home Inspection

An expansion tank is a small tank used in domestic water heating systems to absorb excess water pressure that can be caused by thermal expansion as water is heated.

The tank itself is a small two-part container with the two parts being separated by a rubber diaphragm. One side is connected to the piping of the heating system and contains water. The other, the dry side, contains air under pressure and normally a Schrader valve (think of a bicycle tire air valve) for checking pressures and adding or removing air. When the water system is at the low end of the normal range of its working pressure, the diaphragm will be pushed against the water inlet. As the water pressure increases, the corresponding pressures move the diaphragm thereby compressing the air on the opposite side. The compressibility of the air (remember that fluids are not compressible) cushions the pressure shock and relieves pressure in the system that could otherwise damage the plumbing system; simply put, it gives the water room to expand without exerting potentially harmful forces on the water piping itself.

Expansion tanks are typically sized according the systems that they support. And they are typically requirement in most jurisdictions for both new construction and required to be installed whenever any substantial components are replaced e.g. when a water heater is replaced.

This particular tank, the subject of this post, was not adequately supported…and was leaking: obviously time for it to be replaced. Of particular note, and a condition often encountered during a Home Inspection, is that the tank (these tanks can be quite heavy) was being supported by flexible plastic water distribution piping; this is a very poor practice because it places unintended and undue physical forces onto the piping and piping joints.

We recommended to our clients that the tank be replaced, and the new tank installed such that it is properly and adequately secured, by a licensed plumber.

To schedule a top-of-the-line professional Home Inspection today, contact us at 919.848.4833 or schedule your Home Inspection on-line HERE.