Expansion tank…What needs to be taken into consideraton.
Meezo
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
75% of my home is PEX piping. A couple days ago, a plumber installed the GE Hybrid tank and insisted on the copper piping for the expansion tank.
I would like to remove the copper piping and install the PEX pipe since everything else is PEX and would like to keep everything consistant. If I do so, would the air in the expansion tank change. Would I need to add some. Is there anything that I should consider when changing the pipe to the expansion tank from copper to PEX pipe as well as safety considerations.
Thank you for your feedback in advance.
Replies
Modern expansion tanks contain a diaphragm, so the air can't escape/get replaced with water.
However, unless you have acidic water (that eats copper) there's no point in removing perfectly good copper and replacing it with PEX. The copper has the slight advantage of helping to hold the expansion tank in place, reducing the need for additional clamps.
(Of course, if you're of like minds with Adrian Monk then go ahead and replace it.)
Expansion Tank
Don't forget that the expansion tank has to be charged to your INCOMMING water pressure before it is reinstalled into your system.
Even if you are determined to change the copper out to PEX, the answer is: no--there's no need to add air pressure to the X-tank on that account only. If the X-tank is working with the copper lines, it will work with PEX.