When learning about this expansion tank, there shouldn't be any other video than this one. You showed thermal expansion visually and with a pressure gauge. You showed us the bladder inside and how it works with an increase in pressure. You can't show any more about this topic. Nice job man
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@noelburke6224
Жыл бұрын
You can show the calculations used to get the proper sizes off the expansion tank's and also explain the different precharge pressure for different systems
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
@@noelburke6224 watts has a calculator just for that as well! www.watts.com/resources/planning/etp
@tmosest
Жыл бұрын
For real. This video is amazing! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
@waldrobfarms3946
Жыл бұрын
Agreed
@robbynelson3
Жыл бұрын
I'm over here wondering why our public schools don't do what you just did. You sir are a legend. Keep it up!!
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
I appreciate that!
@loktom4068
Жыл бұрын
The school system is not keeping up with modern times. Still teaching Romeo and Juliette as composary courses. Go figure.
@usethenoodle
Жыл бұрын
@@loktom4068 Actually now they are teaching critical race theory, gender confusion theory and Marxism.
@hoppershelpfulautomotive
Жыл бұрын
@robbyneleson3 Exactly! Our school system needs to stop making our children feel guilty for not going to college. Forget bringing back trade programs to high school, we should be introducing kids to this type of material in elementary and middle school AND high school. I spent 12 years in the automotive industry, and now work in the hvac & home remodel industry. Both of my school age kids can identify a capacitor, a contactor, and more automotive parts than I care to count. If the schools won't do it, it's up to us to teach our kids everything we know. @Smedley Plumbing - Very awesome and well put together video! keep up the good work.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
@@hoppershelpfulautomotive thanks!
@GIGallegosreg
Жыл бұрын
Been in the plumbing industry for 20+ years. The way this video is put together is PERFECT, definitely knows plumbing very well. Just make sure to run video at 1.25 speed so that it feels normal. 😁
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@larrytheplumber9851
Жыл бұрын
😂
@shockingguy
11 ай бұрын
Agreed, even if you’re a newbie this was a little long and drawn out, but an excellent video nonetheless
@JoniAntonio
10 ай бұрын
I've watched a ton of videos of people complaining that teachers speak too fast. you can't please everybody...
@billallen275
Жыл бұрын
What a GREAT demonstration! You should mention that it is code in many locations to put those in. This is because municipalities are putting in backflow preventers at residential meters and the water has nowhere to go. With no backflow prevention the water simply goes back out into the main. We know that, but people that don't know what expansion tanks are don't.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Correct. Problem is nobody knows if there are checks in the system. If they aren't blindly required by the local code, then it's best to perform a pressure test and monitor pressure through the heating cycle. Code doesn't technically require them but local municipalities sometimes do. Code just requires that thermal expansion must be controlled when it's present.
@billallen275
Жыл бұрын
@@SmedleyPlumbing it's probably the safest option to expect at least a Dual Check valve. Cannot be tested, and I'm seeing lots of them in default meter installations in many locations. Some meters have them built in to the meter assembly itself, or put in with the meter. Not having one with a check valve will damage the system and the check valve itself. Over back-pressures the check disks. Thanks 😊👍
@johnpeace971
Жыл бұрын
Why would it go back into the main? I'd just expect my house to have really good water pressure
@brianreinhardt4050
10 ай бұрын
@@johnpeace971 In a 3/4" line, how much water VOLUME from the street to the water tank would TRULY backflow into the system when pressurized? I mean seriously this is a farce. The water that actually did go back into the system would never have left it in the first place.
@512dude
8 ай бұрын
@@brianreinhardt4050 He demonstrated in the video that for his given temperature rise, about a quart of water is displaced. Assuming negligible expansion of the system you can assume that the volume of water that would backflow is roughly a bit less than that quart, that backflow would only start to flow once the system pressure was greater than the incoming main pressure.
@wm005
Жыл бұрын
I am a retired home inspector and never received this type of training. When I came across these tanks I only knew to check the pressure on both the water heater and the tank based on training myself through compairson between different homes. This is an excellent video and a valuable training aid to all...
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@alphabears6342
6 ай бұрын
This is one of the best documentary on expansion tank.
@SmedleyPlumbing
6 ай бұрын
Thanks!
@schmitty99
8 ай бұрын
HVAC guy here. This video was awesome. Thank you!
@SmedleyPlumbing
8 ай бұрын
Glad you liked it!
@bobfrancis4289
4 ай бұрын
Plumbing contractor for 40 years, always knew and respected thermal expansion and your video illustrated it perfectly! Thanks so much! Also, came from your other video where you compared box store water heater to pro grade. I was one of those who thought they were the same.... Not anymore! Great educational videos that are extremely well done!!! You Rock!!
@SmedleyPlumbing
4 ай бұрын
Wow, thanks!
@jefflewis9675
27 күн бұрын
I don't think there could be a better, more practical informational video on expansion tanks explaining the how, what, and whys of this plumbing device. Bravo, sir!
@SmedleyPlumbing
27 күн бұрын
Glad it helped!
@Domme857
Жыл бұрын
I bought this water heater kzitem.infoUgkx8G49mV71sAzUl9shXyLW-r3XgHH9EVh1 for use in my bus conversion. I installed it under my kitchen sink and it is fed by a high efficiency on-demand LP water heater. It is both a backup hot water source as well as a water saving device since we have hot water on demand rather than having to wait for the gas on demand water heater to finish its ignition cycle. I decided on this water heater due to the fact that it only draws 1300watts when it's ON instead of the 1500 watts that most Water heaters this size draw. In an RV a couple hundred watts can be a big deal. With very low standby losses, I don't have to worry about excessive power consumption. When propane is not available for our gas water heater, in conjunction with our low flow shower head there is enough hot water available to shower, albeit we won't be taking "hotel showers." Also very happy with the recovery rate of this water heater. Granted, it is quite small, but it does exactly what we need it to do.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks,!
@bernieshort6311
Жыл бұрын
I am a retired marine engineer and was aware of how an expansion tank works because we had similar but much larger systems on boar made by a company called Newpress. I watched your video just to see how good an explanation you were going to give an I must admit you did an excellent job of explaining how the system works and why you need expansion tanks in a sealed system. The only thing I would add, if I may, is the reason why your expansion tank doesn’t collapse like the water bottle did. Thanks that was a very well explained tutorial with excellent demonstrations. Thank you.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Yeah the water heaters are never subjected to negative pressure. Plus they are more durable than a plastic bottle.
@plumbersteve
Жыл бұрын
I'm in St. Louis. Customers, especially older ones, are all so skeptical of "that blue ball thing that you put on my water heater". I've developed a pretty good understanding of thermal expansion and I feel like I'm able to explain it pretty well, but this video is a game changer. Thanks for putting in the time.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
That's exactly why we made the video! Put this info to use!
@adroper62
Ай бұрын
Phenomenal, detailed, and informative presentation. We are in the process of replacing our 17-year-old water heater, and I was skeptical of the need for an expansion tank since the purpose of the T&P valve is to relieve pressure. Our electric water heater typically runs 6-10 minutes cycles 4-5 times daily (Phoenix, AZ). I have never seen any evidence the pressure relief system has tripped on due to excessive pressure. The relief drain pipe runs outside of our house, and I haven't seen any water coming from it since we purchased the home. Thanks to this video, I see the benefit of having the expansion tank as the primary pressure overload manager, so we will add one to the installation.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Ай бұрын
Glad we could help!
@davedfran6082
20 күн бұрын
The method you used to figure out how much is still in the tank is genius! Love your videos ❤
@SmedleyPlumbing
19 күн бұрын
Thank you!
@cptsb63
21 күн бұрын
Thanks a lot for spending your time and resource to improve our knowledge of the water thermal expansion. You have done a phenomenal job in plumbing expansion knowledge. Keep up the good jobs. Thank you.
@SmedleyPlumbing
21 күн бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@rzh3443
Жыл бұрын
I think you about covered every angle on this ! I installed a pressure reducing valve on our system in addition to the expansion tank. The PRV definitely closes to system but I believe very essential to reduce pressure to fixtures to 50 psi max. They will last longer. Our input pressure is over 80 psi at the meter . I also think that the expansion tank may prolong the tank life by retinue the amount of expansion/contraction inside it. For those who think 80 plus psi is nice, be aware that most well pumps only deliver within a 30-50 psi range.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@chrisriggs6267
Жыл бұрын
Can you learn everything about everything then teach it all to us just like this? Great job, appreciate the time and effort you put in this video for us.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
I appreciate that!
@DanielinLaTuna
Жыл бұрын
Fascinating; thanks for sharing. I didn’t know about the function of the relief tank - I thought it was to prevent water hammer. Originally I didn’t have the pressure tank in my system. Last time I replaced the water heater, the plumber took it upon himself to add the pressure tank. Now I see he was a competent technician who kept up with best industry practice.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Exactly! They do help with hammer as well!
@jamescoberly
29 күн бұрын
This is the absolute best video on thermal expansion. Thank you
@SmedleyPlumbing
28 күн бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@jeffreysmith2223
Жыл бұрын
One other thing you should add to your discussion is the potential effect of added pressure to any weak pipe connection in the system, for instance a buried elbow hidden inside a living space wall. For anyone still using Polybutylene pipes, a thermal expansion tank could mean significant added life to their water supply system. I did an in depth study of thermal expansion tanks a few years ago and I now have them both at my home and my vacation home as well. Thanks for the video, the visualization of the water expansion and the baloon in the bottle were highly instructive, great lateral thinking on your part.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks. We could go on for a while on the damages thermal expansion might cause. Or next video will highlight the worst case scenario....🤯
@tommartinez62
9 ай бұрын
As a retired plumber of 48 years, I used to be puzzled at how many people did not know basic physics. Now I realize my Earth Science teacher in 9th grade was a jewel, Thanks Mr. Rice, Central High, Cheyenne Wyo. 1969
@SmedleyPlumbing
9 ай бұрын
Comes in handy sometimes!
@bojanglesobrien6883
7 ай бұрын
Awareness principle, it blows my mind that people don’t naturally understand the things I regularly look at. Then, I remind myself that I don’t know jack shit about computers compared to every single person I know.
@tommartinez62
7 ай бұрын
@@bojanglesobrien6883 True, though one is actually the world around us, we feel touch and see from birth. The other is a man made object
@GarreTTTurncoaT
9 ай бұрын
I truly appreciate the amount of time and effort put into this video, setting up the visuals and also editing it all together.. with incredible quality both audio and video. Very hard to come by videos this great today.
@SmedleyPlumbing
9 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
@FA-44
Жыл бұрын
Absolutely awesome video. Many engineering courses teach this science, but you gave us a great visualization of this application in the practical world and you also demonstrated the things that can go wrong if you don’t address it properly with components like expansion tanks. You also showed what negative pressure can do to a thin walled cylinder (like a water heater tank) when negative line pressure / vacuum collapsed the plastic bottle. I know in some older cities in Massachusetts, you need a vacuum break on your hot water heater tank. As I’m told, if a fire truck starts sucking water from a nearby hydrant and you do not have a water line check valve in your home, then it could result in the collapse of your hot water heater tank, so awesome demonstration. Thank you for pulling this together.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Yeah I've seen pics of collapsed water heaters in high rise buildings that didn't have a vacuum breaker.
@stevepreskitt283
Ай бұрын
Most water heaters today have a hole in the dip tube that will act as a vacuum breaker if the tank is subjected to negative pressure, but it never hurts to have a separate one on the cold water supply.
@andymurray8007
9 ай бұрын
I wish my plumber had watched this. Instead I put up with 13 yrs of a dripping T/P valve, then finally installed one myself. Thanks for educating us all!
@SmedleyPlumbing
9 ай бұрын
Sorry to hear that. Glad you fixed it though!
@CaptK-py8rq
10 ай бұрын
One of the best no-bs demonstrations I've watched on youtube to date! Very well done, thank you!
@SmedleyPlumbing
10 ай бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@Th3Su8
Жыл бұрын
Great explanation of the expansion tank and why it is needed. When I bought my 60 year old house a few years ago I installed a whole house filter system. Along with the filters I put in a PRV, which my house did not have originally. I found that the water pressure coming into my house was around 120 - 125 psi. I set the PRV to 60 psi and thought everything was good. A few days later my filters were leaking and the pressure had increased back to 120 psi after the filters. I thought the PRV had gone bad and the mfg sent me a replacement, the same thing happened. Then I did some digging around and figured out my problem was there was never an expansion tank installed in my home. I put one in and have since never had any issues. I recently replaced my 20 year old water heater in this house and found that the T&P valve was non functional. You would think that a home inspector would test these things when you pay them to check the home for issues before buying it.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
There are a lot of things that the everyday person would think or hope a home inspector would check. But unfortunately they aren't as thorough as we would like them to be once we find something wrong with the home.
@ricdonato4328
Жыл бұрын
Outstanding explanation, thank you. Being from the old school when we were informed for the need an expansion tank it was perplexing. What are and for, what reason do we now needed one when for decades there were not such a thing. They told us "it is now code" without any further explanation. Again, thank you for your video. In your next video mount the camera. It is unnerving watching a video with the camera bouncing around, where do we focus? Oh, please remove the background music, it is very distracting and annoying. It is beyond me why KZitem content creators think it cool-cute-necessary, having music playing over their voice. We came to hear you, not fight the music. Many folks have hearing difficulties, thus when we attempt to hear the spoken works and there is music as well, we cannot turn up the volume without turning up the volume of the music. In a word frustrating. To understand what you are saying what we must do is turn on the CC. Hope this makes sense.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the feedback
@ph33lix
Жыл бұрын
Fantastic and comprehensive look at current plumbing best-practices. Definitely learned a thing or two for my home. Bravo!
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@dembandure891
10 ай бұрын
Greetings from the Gambia🇬🇲. Im a plumber in my 5th year apprenticeship. You can follow nice meeting my fellow plumbers😊❤
@SmedleyPlumbing
10 ай бұрын
Welcome!
@dembandure891
10 ай бұрын
@@SmedleyPlumbing thanks. Nice works you got there I really appreciate your efforts
@berkscatbill5582
6 ай бұрын
Good show. I have an old house with many old copper connections throughout. I just replaced my 1985, A.O. Smith gas 50 gal with the same make and size. What a difference this new one makes. Even though I have an open system ( no backflow or check valve at the meter) your video has convinced me to install an expansion tank AND a supply regulator. The last thing I need is an old solder joint breaking loose in a 100 year old house. Thanks again
@SmedleyPlumbing
6 ай бұрын
Glad we could help!
@berts4877
Жыл бұрын
Great video. I never had thermal expansion tanks on homes I owned or lived in near Chicago. I have one in my home near Dallas and had to replace it this past weekend when the old one sprung a leak. I enjoyed getting an understanding of its purpose.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Oh wow!
@williamwiseman5083
Жыл бұрын
Wow! By far the best video on expansion tanks on the web!!! Great job thank you very much for doing this and sharing
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Wow, thanks!
@miked3764
Жыл бұрын
Seeing the demonstrations helps me understand the concept tremendously! Nice job 👍
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@thomasazzopardi4760
Жыл бұрын
That is the most understandable explanation I have ever seen to express the need for expansion tanks on water heaters. I appreciate all the visuals you used to demonstrate what is really happening inside that water heater. Awesome job.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@kevinh9262
Жыл бұрын
If you are responsible for the plumbing setup in your video... 👏👏👏! Beautifully done!
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@stevebabiak6997
Жыл бұрын
To add a few things that might help those who aren’t quite aware of symptoms and causes … First, don’t do testing like that in your own home. Learn by watching the video, not by being a copycat. Residential plumbing codes in most jurisdictions in the USA have an upper limit of 80 PSI as the maximum pressure to feed plumbing fixtures. In many places the incoming municipal water will have a pressure well above that (my house had 105 PSI when I last measured it), so a pressure reducing valve (PRV) is installed just past the water meter. As far as I know, all PRVs for residential water prevent back flow to the water meter; and many water meters also prevent back flow into the water service lines. So expanded water isn’t able to flow back into the water service lines in most cases. So where does it go if there is no expansion tank and the T&P isn’t dripping? Old ball float toilet valves were good for letting the expanded water flow through them and then down the overflow tube ;) Old faucets with washers and seats would often have a wear point that would let the expanded water drip through. So it’s quite possible that a dripping faucet or running toilet is an indicator that you need an expansion tank.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Yes sir. Some prv's allow for back flow but the interior pressure must exceed the incoming pressure before it can happen. In those situations, you're right back to the elevated pressure you were trying to prevent by adding the PRV.
@jj-dl5wd
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for taking your time to show us this. Excellent work!
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
You're welcome! And thank you!
@harrydoherty8299
5 ай бұрын
i’ve had water heaters in the same house with the same water meter and no expansion tank . lived here 35 years . never had anything other than the vacume relief valve and the pressure and temp relief valve . period.
@SmedleyPlumbing
5 ай бұрын
Not all homes need them. Consider yourself lucky!
@miker.1804
22 күн бұрын
Just BS.. I worked in restaurants for 40yrs and we had pressurized tanks on equipment forever. It was there to smooth out the pressure on equipment so it was steady. This guy just proved himself wrong, you can pressurize air, so the tank is useless when the heated water “expands” it there to keep your house pressure from hammering. The TPI pressure relief valve is there as safety valve for high pressure from over heating.
@BeeTreeGuy
10 ай бұрын
Awesome video. My brother-in-law is a plumber and he was trying to explain a lot of this to me, I wasn't quite sure what he was talking about. Now I totally understand after seeing it in action. Thanks for the outstanding and very educational video.
@SmedleyPlumbing
10 ай бұрын
That is awesome!
@JavaJazzMusic
9 ай бұрын
Holy smokes that was one of the best demonstrations I've ever seen... thanks you so much for that brilliantly detailed example!
@SmedleyPlumbing
9 ай бұрын
Wow, thank you!
@firstlastnamehere6972
Жыл бұрын
Wow! What a great lecture and demo! Thank you.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@0ddSavant
Жыл бұрын
I used to live in the Midwest, now I’m in East Phoenix. Almost all residential water distribution is above ground out here. I can remember when I’d only been out here a few months, I was home in the middle of the day and tried to take a shower when it was ~115° outside. On full cold the water was just shy of scalding, 120°+. It was at the extreme upper limit of tolerable for me - and then only for exceedingly short periods. So yeah, no doing laundry or showering in the middle of the day unless you’ve got some MacGyver projects already in flight. Another piece of trivia showing Arizona is not a suitable environment for humans: there’s a phenomenon of people in motorcycle/traffic accidents, or pedestrians struck by vehicles, wherein the victim ends up on the blacktop and suffering more serious injuries from having laid or fallen on the ground than from the collision which threw them to the ground. Stay where there’s trees & grass & seasons & most of the people on the interstate aren’t from LA. Where using your turn signal isn’t considered a sign of weakness. I’ve wandered off topic and into a nostalgic rant, my apologies. Enjoy your content. Cheers!
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks! Enjoy AZ for us!
@integr8er66
Жыл бұрын
This is all very simple, but what is usually missed is that you do NOT need one of these unless you have a backflow preventer. most old houses do NOT have such a thing, so when the water begins to expand it simply pushes the extra volume back into the water main. Water supply systems use centrifugal pumps, and thus water can be pushed backwards through them, and on a huge city system, there is always a tap open somewhere.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Having a pressure regulator valve would also require the need for a thermal expansion tank.
@integr8er66
Жыл бұрын
@@SmedleyPlumbing Nope, not unless it has an integral backflow preventer which I can tell you mine doesn't. A regulator alone doesn't stop backflow. I added a regulator 20 years ago because my water pressure is 125 psi, no issues at all, in just the last couple months I added an exp tank because the stupid local inspector doesn't know his ars from a hole in the ground, and the pressure still rises about 15 psi after you stop running water as the tank heats, but at least it doesn't have to reach the 125 psi main pressure before it has relief.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
@@integr8er66 if incoming pressure is elevated (say 120 psi) and then the reducing valve brings that pressure down to 70 psi, the interior pressure would need to build up to over 120 psi before a bypass PRV will allow reverse flow. So you're right back to the elevated pressure you were trying to protect against with the prv until someone opens a faucet.
@-.__.__.-Rad
Жыл бұрын
So… no danger of 155psi pressure buildup when water is supplied from the city with no back flow obstruction In my case, the water comes in at 60psi
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
@@-.__.__.-Rad all depends if the city has a check valve in their meter.
@willl3712
Жыл бұрын
The best demonstration about the purpose of an expansion tank, and how it functions. Job well done, well done!!!!!!!
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@blh3741
Жыл бұрын
perfect explanation! Our home has 30lb city water pressure and we have never had a water pressure release(knock on wood) Our last home had city pressure that could easily have 120psi without a pressure regulator. Those regulators didn't last long and you could hear neighbor's regulator failure with loud whistle/groan
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@TheReal1953
Жыл бұрын
Historically, this wasn't an issue in municipalities. What has happened since is that the water companies have installed new meters that are 'tighter' internally. The excess pressure from residential WH's formally used to travel towards the city's meters and beyond. This caused them all kinds of issues on their pumping side. Now, the excess pressures can no longer pass into the city systems. However, residential customers didn't understand why their T&P valves were suddenly seeping/leaking one day. And in the beginning, when this started to be a problem, municipalities were silent to the plumbers and the public about what was happening. I remember this well. Now it's common knowledge, but it wasn't always so. The municipalities didn't want to be blamed for leaking, in house HW services when all they were doing was protecting their pumping stages/equipment.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Also the EPA started requiring more check valves in the municipal water system. Those check valves help ensure that water only leaves the system and can't return.
@TheReal1953
Жыл бұрын
@@SmedleyPlumbing Yes, I see this a lot in municipalities now; check valves right against the meters. Required too if you have a separate meter for irrigation as a fight against back-siphonage.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
@@TheReal1953 yep. And thus the need for more thermal expansion control.
@ikepatrick9154
Жыл бұрын
This is really a "compression" tank, not an "expansion" tank. There's a difference. The compression tank compresses the trapped air in the tank, separated from the water by the diaphragm, while an expansion tank is open to the atmosphere. FYI 🤔
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
I see where you can think that. However, you'll never find one by calling it a compression tank. The code book doesn't even use that terminology.
@25kmgb
10 ай бұрын
This should be a required part of the training every new plumber must receive. You did an outstanding job presenting this information in a way that every home owner, building inspector and tradesman will understand and remember. I’m really impressed!
@SmedleyPlumbing
10 ай бұрын
Thank you! We are pretty proud of this video as well.
@Astrnauted
8 ай бұрын
well when youre an actual REAL plumber that went to school anytime in the past 4-10 years its pretty standard to know id even argue earlier than 10 years but thats municipal dependent.
@SmedleyPlumbing
8 ай бұрын
@@Astrnauted no need for hateful comments. Water all trying to share knowledge and learn here.
@Astrnauted
8 ай бұрын
@@SmedleyPlumbing lol bud that’s not hateful. Just emphasis on real. Get a grip
@tellsthetruth894
4 ай бұрын
Thank you very much for this valuable and educational video. Questions: What size expansion tank is needed for the 40 gal, 50 gal, and a 75 gal water heater tank sizes. The sizes I noted that are available on the market are like 2 gal and 4 gal. I've had a 75 gal tank heater for over 20 years and never have had an expansion tank, nor to my knowledge, had the pressure relief valve to open on its own to relieve the pressure. Would you kindly comment on the best path forward that i should pursue. Another question: Where on the water heater tank would you add a temp gauge if these gauges are available on the market. My old water heater doesn't come with either a pressure or Temp gauge, unfortunately. Thank you
@moonjee505
8 ай бұрын
Thanks for the training. There was no such training back 10 years ago. I have been lacking such info. Your training gives me good tips in Plumbing. Thanks.
@SmedleyPlumbing
8 ай бұрын
Great to hear!
@briansmeback8912
10 ай бұрын
Probably one of the best KZitem videos on anything I’ve ever seen. Ever. If you don’t teach or hold instruction classes, you should. Fantastic video. Well done sir. 😎
@SmedleyPlumbing
10 ай бұрын
Wow, thank you!
@danrhoads2831
Жыл бұрын
I came across this video and thought it was so cool I showed my brother-in-law who is an electrical engineer and has many patents I just wanted to let you know! Thank you for the information
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@thomasgersitz338
Жыл бұрын
Really explained the purpose of a thermal expansion tank. Fine job.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@jayaddison8032
5 ай бұрын
One of the best educational videos ive ever seen on youtube. You explained it perfectly sir. If only my highschool teachers would of had your teaching skills. Or possibly I wasn't paying attention back then. Thank you for the great lesson.
@SmedleyPlumbing
5 ай бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@jimlaufenberg6428
11 күн бұрын
excellent brief on the expansion and working components...best i have seen you could be the plumbing professor
@SmedleyPlumbing
11 күн бұрын
Wow, thanks!
@scubabeme
Жыл бұрын
All true if the house has a PRV or some form of backflow prevention (i.e., check-valve, not all do!) as that won't allow water to expand back into the system, causing the excess pressure. If the house doesn't have a a PRV or check valve an expansion tank is NOT needed. My home has neither a PRV nor a tank. That being said, good explanation of why many homes DO need a tank!
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@sme7725a
3 ай бұрын
Perfectly answered this homeowner's question of, do I need to replace my reportedly broken expansion tank and what does it actually do. Thank you!
@SmedleyPlumbing
3 ай бұрын
Love it!
@tripjet999
6 ай бұрын
Please look at the camera while speaking . Sometimes, it appears as if you don't know where the camera is.
@SmedleyPlumbing
6 ай бұрын
We filmed this one with multiple cameras. So sometimes we flip to the other camera. But that k you for your feedback!
@walterholzer939
Жыл бұрын
Shame shame, First of all you did not tell all your viewers weather or not you were on city water or well water or if you had a pressure reducing valve on your city water and you know what a difference that would make The only time you would need a expansion tank on a hot water system other than a heating Boiler is if you had a closed heat system. When you are connected to the city water there will never be a pressure rise from a water heater heating up because it will expand to the city water system and if you were connected to a well system you would have a well expansion tank on that also, which will also work for the heat expansion of the water heater heating up. In most cases dam near all you will not need a expansion tank on your water heater. Waste of you money.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
If only you were correct. Aside from being required by code, they are more commonly needed and not.
@AuditAmplifier
10 ай бұрын
Why do people rant like this about things they don't fully understand. "Shame, shame..." 🤦 And it's, "whether," not, "weather."
@JB-gr6om
10 ай бұрын
I have lived in 4 homes in modern suburbia with many water heaters…. And never had an expansion tank.
@miker.1804
22 күн бұрын
People who write codes and the rules sometimes are just academics, who just read the book and have no common sense.
@Thad811
7 ай бұрын
The best video explaining thermal expansion tanks and water heating functions! Excellent work!
@SmedleyPlumbing
7 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
@mikeyp947
Ай бұрын
This is a great video! I also noticed that the blue ring on the cold water line was a little melted, that means it was backdrafting.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Ай бұрын
Yes we have an attic fan. So every once in a while, the family will not have enough windows open and it forces the water heater to backdraft.
@russell7489
7 ай бұрын
Great post Great comments. Having lived with pumped water my life, every system has an expansion tank built in the pump pressure tank, usually 40 gal but I use a 60 gal cause bigger is better. Less swing, less pump cycles, less stress cycles...
@SmedleyPlumbing
7 ай бұрын
One big perk of being on a well!
@straight_to_finish
Жыл бұрын
Best visual explanation of water expansion (and importance of expansion tanks) with water heating on KZitem. (Although, water does expand into a municipal water system, unless there’s a PRV or back flow device installed.)
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@KarlKoning
Жыл бұрын
FYI - Without a PRV you pay twice for that water that expands back into the muni system. Water meters do not run backwards.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
@@KarlKoning this can be true!
@karenstein8261
4 ай бұрын
I was under the impression that water heaters were an “open” system, so did not need expansion tanks. By contrast, hot water heating systems were “closed” and thus needed the expansion tanks., Thank you, and other commenters, for educating me. I plan to add an expansion tank as a result. I have asked this question - to tank or not to tank - of a number of professionals and none seemed confident in their responses. Their answers were limited to “what they’ve seen.” Your point about the anti-corrosion glass liners cracking, exposing the tank metal to corrosion, makes a lot of sense. It seems to me that it should be possible to detect such a breakdown, which would give you some warning that the water heater was living on borrowed time - unless the liners are frequently defective from the start. Indeed, I wonder why expansion components re not integral to the water heaters. I begin to understand why my first water heater split a seam after less than seven years. The replacement heater just passed the four year mark. Based upon your videos, I should replace the anode and add an expansion tank as soon as I can - if I want this heater to last.
@SmedleyPlumbing
4 ай бұрын
Glad we could help!
@arthouston7361
7 ай бұрын
All of the work I do is applied physics. I do commercial HVAC. This was a good demonstration. Thanks for helping those kids to get a clue.
@SmedleyPlumbing
7 ай бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@sgt_retiredcharlie4102
Жыл бұрын
OMG! Great demonstrations and excellent explanations of exactly what's going on behind the scenes and inside the water system. Thank you SO MUCH! I purchased my home in 2018 and they DIDN'T have an expansion tank installed on a brand new got water heater! IDK why or how they even got away with it, but now I know why I need one and I'll be installing one very soon! Thanks again. 👍
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@marklefler4007
10 ай бұрын
Great video. There is no "more water". It is expanded water. As you show, if the pressure gets high enough to be a danger, the pressure relief valve opens and reduces the pressure. At best, expansion tanks save you this wasted water. And there is also a second safety valve that pops on water heater should the pressure relief value fail. One would think water heater makers would include an expansion tank inside the water heater, but they are cheap. I bet they could sell a lot if they did that though since it save installation time. Also, the pressure does not keep building and building until the water heater explodes, provided the thermostat is working. It shuts off the heating and the pressure stops increasing. To make the water heater explode, you have to disable the pressure relief valve, block the emergency pressure plug, and disable the thermostat. Doing that is crazy since it make the water heater a bomb.
@SmedleyPlumbing
10 ай бұрын
Have you seen the video where we tried that? Also, expansion tanks not only keep the water heater from exploding. They also maintain a system pressure of less than 80 psi which is the max pressure allowed by code.
@pepawspostings9231
Жыл бұрын
What a great video for understanding how an expansion tank works and why I need to install one on my water heater.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@MikeNaples
Жыл бұрын
Agree with your sentiments about the vid. I've lived in the same house for 33 years. Three water heaters inside along with a fourth heater in the detached garage. All have never been maintained and usually failed (slow leak or quit heating) between 10 and 20 years. I don't have any expansion tanks and never (to my knowledge) had a relief valve open up nor a pressure related issue. Either it's not that big a problem or my increase in pressure is being "relieved" back into the city water supply. Not sure if there is a one way valve at the meter since I don't know what it would look like.
@njkay0033
Жыл бұрын
As stated already, this IS the best info vid on the topic. The other analogy that can be used is what divers experience going deeper under water. More water volume pushes on the air and other gases in the body. They have to go somewhere!
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Great point!
@zeeryos102
5 ай бұрын
This is an awesome explainer video! Thank you! Now I am educated and can educate 😊
@SmedleyPlumbing
5 ай бұрын
Thanks!
@johnledger3010
11 ай бұрын
Superb video, explains why I had a problem with the release valve expelling water and why I needed a new expansion vessel.
@SmedleyPlumbing
11 ай бұрын
Glad it helped!
@certifiedpersonaltrainer1173
8 ай бұрын
Great video, plumber told me about an expansion tank and I had an idea but didn't really know how it worked. Thanks.
@SmedleyPlumbing
8 ай бұрын
Glad to help
@markkriedeman7188
8 ай бұрын
Perfect interpretation of how important these tanks truly are.
@SmedleyPlumbing
8 ай бұрын
Thanks!
@Rews-fish-shed
4 ай бұрын
Hopefully done a good job he says This is a definitive video for the explanation of the use and need for a hot water expansion tank. Thank you
@SmedleyPlumbing
4 ай бұрын
Thanks!
@tomsmith3045
Жыл бұрын
Great video! I had to put in an expansion tank after I put a pressure reducing valve on the incoming water feed. City water pressure was boosted to about 90psi, which was causing leaks. I pulled that down with the pressure regulator, but as you know...but I didn't...a pressure regulator also acts as a check valve. So when I'd drain down the hot water supply, and it would heat up again, the pressure would bump up over 100psi, and caused leaks again. Expansion tank fixed all that.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Bingo! Textbook experience when you have a pressure regulator valve and no thermal expansion tank. Glad you got it taken care of!
@RileyHiebert-jh3le
8 ай бұрын
I was going to comment about the main home expansion tank moderating these pressure changes, not being on a municipal water system, but on well water. I can see how this would be useful when there is a check valve on the water supply in a municipal water supply. I’m guessing a thermal expansion tank might be useful on a well also, to control over pressure, but not as crucial. Subscribed!
@SmedleyPlumbing
8 ай бұрын
Thanks for subscribing. If you are on a well then your system's bladder tank will serve as a thermal expansion tank.
@ahbelhealy3665
6 ай бұрын
Thank you man. This was so educational. It helped me better understand the workings of an expansion tank and a water heater. I just started my apprenticeship program so I was really glad I found this video.
@SmedleyPlumbing
6 ай бұрын
Love it! Stick with it and you'll do great things!
@MasteringHow-To
9 ай бұрын
What an amazing job explaining things such a clear manor. Great teacher! Thank you
@SmedleyPlumbing
9 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@davidforal3971
11 ай бұрын
I did a quick look at previous comments and didn't see anything that addressed my question. It would have been nice to leave the expansion tank closed off, heat up the water heater (closed system) until pressure got to 100 psi (like you did when you added the expansion tank) and then opened the hot water tank outlet to the rest of the house. That would have simulated my situation (I don't have an expansion tank). Great video, I enjoyed watching it.
@SmedleyPlumbing
11 ай бұрын
The pressure would have bled into the house water lines and dropped a bit and then continued to build and the tank keeps heating.
@davidforal3971
11 ай бұрын
@@SmedleyPlumbing Thank you for the reply. I did a bit of research and determined that because I'm on a well system with a large pressure tank (and no check valve between the pressure tank and the rest of the house) that I don't need an expansion tank - I already have one :) Thanks again for the video and reply. David
@SmedleyPlumbing
11 ай бұрын
@@davidforal3971 correct, your well bladder tank will also serve as a thermal expansion tank.
@choimdachoim9491
6 ай бұрын
The explosive spurt of hot water at first use in the morning in old homes always caught my attention. So simple. It occurs to me that with PEX systems this tank in not needed because the PEX expands throughout the home.
@SmedleyPlumbing
6 ай бұрын
The tank is still needed because that expansion running the pressure over 80 psi exceeds the designed limits of the code.
@choimdachoim9491
6 ай бұрын
@@SmedleyPlumbing Seems like that would depend upon the total length and sizes of the PEX system. I live in a mobile-home with a cpvc and grey tubing system and don't have this pressure problem. However, you have convinced me that installing an expansion-tank will relieve stress on my plumbing. My home is 70 feet long and it takes forever for hot water to reach the kitchen and other bathroom so we recently decided to add a smaller water heater in the corner cabinet in the kitchen. I've now included the expansion tank in my plans.
@edwardluhn8556
19 күн бұрын
Excellent job. Very informative. Thanks for making.
@SmedleyPlumbing
19 күн бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@professorg8383
7 ай бұрын
Great demonstration!! I understood the principle bur had not known the amount of actual volume increase. Very helpful to learn just how much the volume increases.
@SmedleyPlumbing
7 ай бұрын
Pretty wild!
@jhalleck
9 ай бұрын
Great video showing this. This illustrates why on demand hot water systems are superior over static tank systems. I have an electric Stiebel Eltron 24KM that has been in service over 9 years with no issues. My new home I am building will have an on demand and will use an expansion tank to help with pipe hammering and unexpected pressure increases from the utility water supply.
@SmedleyPlumbing
8 ай бұрын
Yeah some on demand heater installations don't require thermal expansion tanks.
@frankd2301
9 ай бұрын
Very clear well said explanation of the pressure in hot water tanks
@SmedleyPlumbing
9 ай бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@victormendoza5819
6 ай бұрын
Very good video explaining the purpose and how the thermal expansion work. My only "silly" suggestion is to chance "water creation" to "more volume" . The mass of water doesn't change but its volume. Thank you
@SmedleyPlumbing
6 ай бұрын
Great point!
@dustinmetz8283
Жыл бұрын
Expansion tanks and prv's are my bread and butter. Excellent video!
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed!
@phil-f716
9 ай бұрын
Awesome video. Just replaced mine. My father in law sent me this video Very informative. It was so easy to do.
@SmedleyPlumbing
9 ай бұрын
Glad it helped!
@irishkevin4307
7 күн бұрын
Mr. Smedley I actually watched this entire video to the end..!! Well done. I appreciate the time taken and the tools used to show how thermal expansion actually works. This vid could be used in trades classes in high school to show students the actual process of thermal expansion. I'm curious, in my 25+ years of working in property ownership/management in the northeast my experience with seeing thermal expansion tanks on water heaters is non-existent. ??? Just see them used with hydronic heating systems..
@SmedleyPlumbing
6 күн бұрын
Thanks!
@TabbyCat041
Жыл бұрын
Wow! This was just great! You did an amazing job of making the content relatable to non-professionals like me. I just bought a second home and the natural gas HW tank doesn't have an expansion tank, not to mention that it is plumbed with pex within 6" of the flue, so I've got a bit of work to do. My home inspector also found the water pressure was well over 80psi, which has been addressed. Subscribed!
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Awesome! Thank you!
@gisaias4421
8 ай бұрын
Very simple scientific demo for layman to understand water preasure snd relief tank. Thanks.
@SmedleyPlumbing
8 ай бұрын
You are welcome
@Chris_at_Home
Жыл бұрын
I love this demo. I did my own plumbing on our house after doing lots of research. One thing I remember was that there is not supposed to be a valve between the water heater and the expansion tank. I know you put that valve in for the demonstration, but it won’t be safe till you remove it.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
There is no such code here. Also, of that valve is closed, I get no hot water in the home.
@steveloux4709
10 ай бұрын
I installed my expansion tank on the hot water return loop, and the tank has an isolation valve on the "T" of that loop in case the tank ever needs to be replaced. In regard to the concern raised about the safety of having a valve at the tank which could be inadvertently turned off, it seems to me there is still a final margin of safety afforded by the T&P valve. And if there was a real concern about inappropriate use of the isolation valve, one could simply remove the handle and ty-wrap it to the valve for when it is needed.@@SmedleyPlumbing
@JTTTTx
10 ай бұрын
Plumber here- great info. I would like to add a technical detail. You actually want the expansion tank pressure to be just slightly lower than the static pressure by a pound or two. Reason- the diaphragm of the tank will slam into the internal body of the vessel when the first use of water after a period of hot water use and then non use- a shower and every one sits down and watches tv and create a noise similar to what we call water hammer. This is especially evident on larger systems- 50 to 80 and more. Hard to explain here , but trust me it happens.
@SmedleyPlumbing
10 ай бұрын
We've done these this way for years and never heard of this before. We have incoming pressures of about 100-150 psi and regulate that down to 60-75 psi.
@JTTTTx
10 ай бұрын
Had a number of calls during my career for random pipe noises. It was usually an oil fired water heater( they recover quickly) or an indirect ( Amtrol or equivalent) that would cause the problem. Oil is big up here in New England. What happened was that there would be a large use of hot water, say just before bedtime and the first person up in the morning would get the noise- a loud thump and then it would not happen again until the conditions were right. The pressure would build up to 100 or 120 and then slam back to the static pre- charge which is the neutral. By having the air pressure down about 2-5 psi, the diaphragm would not “ slam” into the bottom of the tank and make the “ thump”.
@SmedleyPlumbing
10 ай бұрын
@@JTTTTx sounds like another issue going on. The expansion tank bladder moves as slowly as the water expanded in the video. Once compressed, when someone uses a tap, it will return to its static state fairly quickly but it does it silently.
@JTTTTx
10 ай бұрын
Maybe where you are, but my area we have to install them that way. Maybe it was the first generation Amtrol St-5’s and ST12’s , but reducing the pre charge pressure to just under the static solved the problems , no more thump. Maybe they added a suppressor like the Fluidmaster 400a toilet fill valve did awhile ago.
@michaelboyle1983
9 ай бұрын
Thanks for showing this, and God bless you!
@SmedleyPlumbing
9 ай бұрын
You are very welcome
@takismantas1159
2 ай бұрын
Outstanding video. You are a natural educator Sir.
@SmedleyPlumbing
2 ай бұрын
Thank you kindly!
@yeahright7212
10 ай бұрын
I have to compliment you on the demonstration of thermal expansion of liquid water. There is a shortcoming in your experiment in that when you turned on your heater and the thermo-expansion started it was in a limited volume space just taking in the volume of the water heater and the capped off pipes. In reality the volume with all valves open and the pressure would also take in the entire volume of the water system matrix from main water pump or reservoir to local source. Pascal's law would state the entire system in a static state would be equal throughout the system. In other words the volume of the water system would be able to absorb the 1 quart difference. Being a water system matrix would never be static there is someone somewhere drawing on the system depleting the pressure. Granted in a population of 200,000 and a family of 4, there would be 50,000 water heaters going off but never at the same time to raise the system to breakage threshold. (theoretical average). In my short plumbing career in the 80sI have never seen those pressure equalizing tanks used for that purpose. I worked at a Dept. of Defence safety group and the pressure equalizer tank was never brought up nor did we have one.. I do not have one in my house and in the 10 years I have yet to see a popoff ever pop or in any house did I see one pop off. Please note that the Mythbusters did prove that those things are a very necessary safety device in any system that heats water. After seeing a hot water heater blow the few dollars for such a safety valve is well worth the price. A bladder tank is albeit very useful if water hammer is present.
@SmedleyPlumbing
10 ай бұрын
Cities are now installing check valves on the incoming water lines to prevent reverse flow back into their system. Also pressure regulation valves act like check valves as well.
@bobwiesler3109
7 ай бұрын
A very good example of the pressure of heated water and how it impacts a piping system, most early home installations I grew up in did not use expansion tanks and never experienced problems with pressure valves venting water. I assume this pressure was forced back into the water supply system therefore absorbing this added pressure keeping it below the pressure valve setting or using vertical hammer valve pipe trapping air in the system. Great presentation!
@SmedleyPlumbing
7 ай бұрын
Thanks! Yeah pressure regulation valves and check valves on the incoming water lines today changed everything.
@joe52428
Жыл бұрын
Thanks. My house is 30 years old. Never had an expansion tank. The house is set at 50PSi. For a short period after showers I notice it goes to 125 PSI. Water heater and washing machine are 30 years old too. I will add an expansion tank when I get a new water heater. In the mean time I will drip the hot water after showers or while running the washing machine. Thanks again.
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
That's thermal expansion in action.
@jpol3808
3 ай бұрын
Great video! I know exactly how they work and what they are designed to do and I still loved the video! Great job! Thanks.
@SmedleyPlumbing
3 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@rajpalmesh
Жыл бұрын
One of the most amazing and important experiments . Very very helpful . I deal with water systems and this video gives me a good reason to explain my cuustomers to go for the expansion tanks .
@SmedleyPlumbing
Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@hollow265
2 ай бұрын
Is no one gonna say how he didn’t have to bang on the water heater to find the water level? That hose trick was awesome!!
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