Expansion Tank Support - Plumber's Tape - Strong Enough?

[Baumgrenze]

I have 3 expansion tanks in my furnace/utility room. I recently read some threads here that explain that eventually the rubber diaphragm will fail and the tank will fill with water.

Filled with water it may break the pipe holding it unless it is otherwise supported.

My tanks are 8" in diameter by 9" and 12" in diameter by 12" so I make these ~400 cu in and 2412 cu in or 14.5 # and 87# respectively. The largest may be on 'borrowed time' since it has 'installed in 2000' written on it. The others date from the summer of 2010.

The roof over the tanks is 2x6 T&G redwood decking, so the easiest support is plumber's tape screwed to the decking and secured beneath as to a 'cradle' to hold the load.

How big a load can ordinary 3/4" wide perforated plumber's tape support. I'd assume the load will be somewhat more that a static load since the added weight will cause some movement of the tank before the support kicks in.

Thanks

baumgrenze

 

[Reach4]

Most people don't give it the thought that you have. The metal tape should be more than strong enough. Which way is the fitting? Normally that fitting (not plastic) needs to be supported, and the tank hangs below that fitting.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Baumgrenze]

Each tank is installed uniquely.

One small one extends out from a 1/2" sweat tee with a 3" long rotating stem shutoff valve (gate, globe?). It is the most accessible and will be easy to support with a couple of loops of plumber's tape up to the roof decking.

It is harder to see what supports the second small one, but it hangs from a tee in a horizontal run and is installed vertically. It is over the water heater and a bit of a reach. I can see making a shelf with a hole to center the tank bottom and then suspending that from the roof deck

The large one is part of our circulating hot water heating system (hydronic - was radiant and is now fin-and-tube.) It is installed vertically above the furnace and some of the plumbing is hard to see/photograph because of its location. What I can see is a couple of feet of 1/2" copper line with an angled offset bend to get up under the center of the tank. It is close enough to a wall that it might be supported by a couple of shelf brackets mounted on a strip of 3/4" plywood screwed to studs in the wall.

Perhaps I've answered my own question, especially if the tape is strong enough for the load from the smaller tanks.

thanks
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