Metcom says I need a plumber

Zguy28

Zguy28

New Member
So metcom came and installed the new meter on my water yesterday. They also installed a backflow prevention device at no charge. However, they left me a note saying to contact a plumber and have them install a thermal expansion tank on my water heater immediately at my cost so my pipes don't get damaged by the water having nowhere to expand to when it heats.

Anybody know a reasonable and reputable plumber in St.Marys and how much it costs?
 
dave1959

dave1959

Active Member
Zguy28 said:
So metcom came and installed the new meter on my water yesterday. They also installed a backflow prevention device at no charge. However, they left me a note saying to contact a plumber and have them install a thermal expansion tank on my water heater immediately at my cost so my pipes don't get damaged by the water having nowhere to expand to when it heats.

Anybody know a reasonable and reputable plumber in St.Marys and how much it costs?
Click to expand...

Never heard of such a thing...I dont have one on mine and never remember seeing one anywhere else...
 
N

nutz

Well-Known Member
Zguy28 said:
So metcom came and installed the new meter on my water yesterday. They also installed a backflow prevention device at no charge. However, they left me a note saying to contact a plumber and have them install a thermal expansion tank on my water heater immediately at my cost so my pipes don't get damaged by the water having nowhere to expand to when it heats.

Anybody know a reasonable and reputable plumber in St.Marys and how much it costs?
Click to expand...

?? What type of hot water heating system do you have? Normally, expansion tanks are installed on hot water boilers. Some believe they should be installed on all types, but it hasn't proven to be anything that a pressure regulating valve can't fix. Metcom may be influencing it's customers to adopt their version of updated code in older residential installations.
Thermal Expansion - Learn About - Watts
 
DEEKAYPEE8569

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
dave1959 said:
Never heard of such a thing...I dont have one on mine and never remember seeing one anywhere else...
Click to expand...

Yeah, somebody's blowin' smoke. If an expansion tank was required equipment on a water heater, it would be on it already.
Something else.....I don't believe the tanks on the water heaters fill to capacity. They have a shut-off valve that only fills the tank to 80% or something like that, to allow for any expansion.
 
DEEKAYPEE8569

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
nutz said:
?? What type of hot water heating system do you have? Normally, expansion tanks are installed on hot water boilers. Some believe they should be installed on all types, but it hasn't proven to be anything that a pressure regulating valve can't fix. Metcom may be influencing it's customers to adopt their version of updated code in older residential installations.
Thermal Expansion - Learn About - Watts
Click to expand...

Boilers.....that's what I was thinking of.
 
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exnodak

New Member
The expansion tank is necessary to accomodate for the small air pocket that can build up in a hot water heater and expand to explosive potential when a backflow preventer (check valve) is installed. It is somewhat redundant with the safety valve on the water heater, but people have a tendency to put a plug in the safety valve when it develops an annoying drip.

It is a plumbing code requirement.

If the safety valve is plugged or failed closed the water heater becomes a bomb.

exploding water heater youtube - Bing Videos
 
S

starr

Guest
I got told the same thing when I had my water heater worked on. About 6 months ago I noticed when I turn the faucet on (more so in the kitchen) it flows out super quickly and then goes back to normal. I swear Metcom did something with the pressure. It was never like that before.
 
desertrat

desertrat

0_0
starr said:
I got told the same thing when I had my water heater worked on. About 6 months ago I noticed when I turn the faucet on (more so in the kitchen) it flows out super quickly and then goes back to normal. I swear Metcom did something with the pressure. It was never like that before.
Click to expand...

Never had one, never had a problem.
 
GWguy

GWguy

*
starr said:
I got told the same thing when I had my water heater worked on. About 6 months ago I noticed when I turn the faucet on (more so in the kitchen) it flows out super quickly and then goes back to normal. I swear Metcom did something with the pressure. It was never like that before.
Click to expand...

I've been noticing that same thing. I was going to put pressure gauges on the line to see how much the standing static pressure was.
 
DEEKAYPEE8569

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
exnodak said:
The expansion tank is necessary to accomodate for the small air pocket that can build up in a hot water heater and expand to explosive potential when a backflow preventer (check valve) is installed. It is somewhat redundant with the safety valve on the water heater, but people have a tendency to put a plug in the safety valve when it develops an annoying drip.

It is a plumbing code requirement.

If the safety valve is plugged or failed closed the water heater becomes a bomb.

exploding water heater youtube - Bing Videos
Click to expand...

Is this a new code for new houses? Because I haven't seen many new water heaters, but the one's I have seen, only have the check valve.

Edit: Just asked a Master Pumber friend, who said that the code applies to new construction and only if you replace a water heater in an existing structure.
 

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exnodak

New Member
GWguy said:
I've been noticing that same thing. I was going to put pressure gauges on the line to see how much the standing static pressure was.
Click to expand...

It's a bomb. Static psi can easily reach 300 psi if the TP safety valve is failed closed or plugged.

Check out mythbusters exploding water heaters on youtube.
 
GWguy

GWguy

*
exnodak said:
It's a bomb. Static psi can easily reach 300 psi if the TP safety valve is failed closed or plugged.

Check out mythbusters exploding water heaters on youtube.
Click to expand...

My safety valve has been tested recently and is OK, so I'm not exceeding that. Not convinced the extra pressure is in-house.
 
desertrat

desertrat

0_0
GWguy said:
I've been noticing that same thing. I was going to put pressure gauges on the line to see how much the standing static pressure was.
Click to expand...

Neat idea, sounds like fun! Better than crawling under my house to look at the one on the tank.
 
blazinlow89

blazinlow89

Big Poppa
exnodak said:
It's a bomb. Static psi can easily reach 300 psi if the TP safety valve is failed closed or plugged.

Check out mythbusters exploding water heaters on youtube.
Click to expand...

IIRC I think they said that there was also another 1 or 2 backup safety systems to prevent what they did on the show. The safety valve was just one safety feature.
 
Zguy28

Zguy28

New Member
nutz said:
?? What type of hot water heating system do you have? Normally, expansion tanks are installed on hot water boilers. Some believe they should be installed on all types, but it hasn't proven to be anything that a pressure regulating valve can't fix. Metcom may be influencing it's customers to adopt their version of updated code in older residential installations.
Thermal Expansion - Learn About - Watts
Click to expand...
That's the same link I read as well.

My house was built in '87 and I bought it in 2003. I have no idea if the water heater is original or what. I did notice some calcium buildup on the relief valve though which it says can clog it and cause an explosion.
 
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