The federal government issued a notice to all water departments that the water supply needed to be protected against backflow. Therefore, slowly all the old water meters are being updated with dual check valves and some also with electronic read meters. The county typically gives two notices to protect your house from thermal expansion. One notice before they do the work and normally one after. Backflow devices prevent water from your property being pushed back into the county supply. Therefore, everytime your water heater kicks on, the water expands as it is heated and no longer has a place to go. So, the pressure in the house increases. A thermal expansion tank is normally the easy remedy for thermal expansion, but a governor 80 ballcock or a additional pressure only relief valve are also sufficient. What prompted this article was a customer that I spoke with in November called today to tell me that he had numerous leaks and was now ready to install his thermal expansion tank that we had talked about last year. He wanted to know if his leaky toilet, dripping faucets and dripping pipe would stop leaking if he installed the expansion device that he needed. I told him probably not, the damage was done and the seals were more than likely permanently damaged and would also need repair. Heeding the warning letters by the water department to install an expansion device is the best bet and can save your plumbing and your money.
Mike Whitman
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