No Leak Too Small, No Job Too Big
If you have a closed water system or recently installed a new water heater, chances are you need a thermal expansion tank.
At Alpha Plumbing, we install, replace, and diagnose issues with water expansion tanks for homes throughout Lexington and surrounding areas. These tanks are a small but essential part of your plumbing system that protect your pipes, appliances, and water heater from pressure damage caused by thermal expansion.
When water is heated, it expands. In an open system, the extra pressure has somewhere to go, but in a closed system—typically one with a backflow preventer or pressure-reducing valve—that pressure builds up inside your plumbing. Over time, that added pressure can shorten the life of your water heater, stress your pipes, and cause leaks or even ruptures. A water expansion tank absorbs this excess pressure, protecting your plumbing system from unnecessary wear and preventing safety issues.
We install expansion tanks that are properly sized and pressurized to match the specific water heater and plumbing configuration of your home. It’s not a one-size-fits-all job, and correct sizing is key to long-term performance.
If your water heater was installed recently and your home has a backflow preventer or pressure-reducing valve, an expansion tank is almost always required by code. You might also need one if you’ve noticed signs of pressure fluctuation, such as dripping pressure relief valves on your water heater, banging or knocking in your pipes, or leaking fixtures. In some cases, we discover missing or failed expansion tanks during routine water heater repair calls.
Lexington building codes require expansion tanks in many residential systems, especially when replacing or upgrading a water heater. If you’re not sure whether your system qualifies, we’re happy to inspect and let you know.
Most quality water expansion tanks last between 5 and 10 years, depending on water quality, system pressure, and how often the tank engages. Tanks have an internal air bladder that eventually wears out or loses pressure, especially if they were not precharged to the correct PSI during installation.
If your tank is more than a few years old, we can test it with a pressure gauge to determine if it’s still working. A failed expansion tank can lead to premature water heater failure or leaking valves, so it’s smart to replace them before they create larger problems.
We often come across expansion tanks that were installed without proper support brackets, incorrectly sized for the water heater, or not pressurized to match the system. These mistakes reduce the tank’s ability to function properly and can lead to early failure. Sometimes the tank is mounted too far from the heater or placed at an angle that traps air.
We follow manufacturer specifications and local code for every installation to make sure your expansion tank works the way it’s supposed to. We also take the time to educate you on how to monitor it so you’re not caught off guard by a silent failure down the road.
At Alpha Plumbing, we treat water pressure control as part of a whole-system approach to home plumbing. Whether you’re installing a new water heater or want to bring an older system up to code, we’ll make sure your expansion tank is properly installed, tested, and protecting your investment.