ruffdog
Super Member
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2011
- Messages
- 9,943
- Location
- southern wisconsin
- Tractor
- Bobcat Toolcat 5610G, Deere X744, Cub Cadet IH 982
In our nearby city they have been installing back flow preventers on everybody’s water service. Without an expansion tank people are having their emergency release valves on the water heater weeping. I’d say if you don’t have that problem I wouldn’t worry about it.
People that have your own well and have a pressure tank already have an expansion tank....the pressure tank. With city water with a back flow check valve, you now have no where for the hot water to expand to, hence the need for the small expansion tank.I've never heard of using an expansion tank for a water heater. The simple fact is that if you are on a well and do not have a check valve "after" your pressure tank you already have an expansion tank.
On city water if they are installing check valves at the house and you don't normally have a pressure tank I could see where it might be beneficial to have one.
My boiler system has an expansion tank it also has a check valve to prevent boiler water from getting back to the house water lines.