Expansion Tanks: Learn All You Need to Know

Hot water is a necessity in many homes. Many people dread the idea of going to the bathroom and having ice-cold water trickle down their skin. Particularly, cold winter temperatures make it impractical to use cold water in the house. You need to come up with an energy-efficient way of pulling hot water straight from the plumbing system. Gladly, there are several types of water heaters you can connect to your plumbing system. They use electric or solar energy to transfer heat energy to a water mass, making hot water readily available from the pipework. Such systems need expansion tanks for you to get the best out of them. The following piece will teach you more about expansion tanks for hot water systems.

What Are Expansion Tanks?

From a scientific point of view, water falls into the three classifications of matter or substances. It's a liquid; therefore, water obeys all the natural laws affecting the form of a substance, including expansion when subjected to heat. When you heat cold water, it expands and increases the pressure within the closed plumbing systems. An expansion tank comes in handy at this stage by providing the extra volume needed to accommodate the pressure generated by water as it heats up. Essentially, it is just a small vessel installed in line with the plumbing system to protect against excess pressure.

What Design Element Should You Consider?

The variety of expansion tanks in the market call for a keen eye if you are looking for something that will live up to your standards. When choosing an expansion tank, the most important design element is the diaphragm. The rubber should be able to stretch and expand the volume of the tank when hot water enters it. When the hot water exits the tank, the diaphragm should contract and eliminate the extra volume not needed at a lower temperature.

Silicone rubber has excellent resistance to weathering under heat. It also has good flexibility. It is the go-to material for expansion tank diaphragms.

What Would Life be Without an Expansion Tank?

A hot water plumbing system installed without an expansion tank is similar to a ticking time bomb. You have no idea when things might go wrong. If there is no space to accommodate the expanding volume of water when heating, the pressure will climb steadily. The pressure will reach other critical components of the system, such as the metal jacket and the glass lining. This actuates the emergency release valves, and large volumes of hot water will spill anywhere in and around your hot water system.