Question on age of Amtrol expansion tanks

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Sluggo

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At my current house I have one expansion tank on my water heater, and another on the boiler system piping for my radiant heat. I'd like to replace them when they get "old," but I don't know how to read the date codes on the tanks. I've Googled this subject with no luck, so I thought I'd try here. For example, the date code on the radiant heating system is: 14121501. Does anyone know how to decipher this?
 

Terry

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Twenty years old? Yikes!

I can't tell you how many times I've seen where a water heater has been replaced and the keep the old expansion tank, which I now know about because it's leaking and needs replacement.
For me, anytime I install a new water heater, the expansion tank also gets replaced. I like to do what needs to happen in "one" trip, not two.
 

Sluggo

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Twenty years old? Yikes!

I can't tell you how many times I've seen where a water heater has been replaced and the keep the old expansion tank, which I now know about because it's leaking and needs replacement.
For me, anytime I install a new water heater, the expansion tank also gets replaced. I like to do what needs to happen in "one" trip, not two.
I agree with you about "Yikes," but I just tested the tank and the bladder is still intact. Maybe it helps that the expansion tank pressure for the radiant heating system is specified as only 12 psi.
 

Terry

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I agree with you about "Yikes," but I just tested the tank and the bladder is still intact. Maybe it helps that the expansion tank pressure for the radiant heating system is specified as only 12 psi.
Well...........you can wait for it to start leaking. That's what many are doing. I haven't been working on boilers, so no experience with that, and the pressure on those is a lot lower than the water heater.
 

Taylorjm

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I'm with Terry on this. I prefer to replace things on my terms and not in the middle of the night when all the sudden we are having issues and have to go try and find something in stock. I like to research what's needed, order what's needed and replace it when there's no demand. Our boiler was replaced in 2015, but the expansion tank looks much older and I've though about replacing it. Now that I've gone and recommended you replace yours, I better check mine because it's probably going to fail now!
 

Taylorjm

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Well...........you can wait for it to start leaking. That's what many are doing. I haven't been working on boilers, so no experience with that, and the pressure on those is a lot lower than the water heater.

The only issue I have with replacing mine is that now the tanks don't seem to last very long. Looking at the amtrol ex-30 there's more than a few reviews saying they developed pinhole leaks within a year and that they are only designed to last 5-7 years. (go figure, 5 year warranty). Makes you wonder if one that's 20 years old, will outlast a new one! Unless there's a better brand than amtrol but they seem to be the most popular.
 
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