Thermal Expansion Tank Installation

[Sharon H.]

I’ll soon be a home owner for the first time and recently visited the site.
As I looked into the bathroom, something seemed strange about the installation of the thermal expansion tank on top of the water heater. Instead of running the cold line into the tank, it looks like it was ran to the hot.
Is this normal? Is this something I should bring to the attention of the plumber and will it cause problems later if it’s not changed?

 

[Sharon H.]

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

I suspect that is on your cold side. Usually the cold is on the right as you face the control. Also, the valve goes on the cold side. I am not a plumber.

 

[Dj2]

Hard to see from the pics. Take a pic from the front of the WH.

Touch the supply pipe to the tank - is it hot?

 

[hj]

Those pictures ARE the front of the water heater. The tank does appear to be on the cold side. What makes you think it is on the hot water line?

 

[Sharon H.]

Two white PVC pipes come out from the wall, meet together and go into the copper pipe to the expansion tank. The valve which on the PVC pipe closest to the front of the heater is red, indicating it’s a hot water line.
That is why I think it is a hot water line. I may be wrong about my assumption of the valve color code system, this is why I’m asking for a little more insight from those who know more about plumbing than myself.

 

[Sharon H.]

The water and power isn’t turned on yet and I cannot tell if the line is hot through touch.

 

[Reach4]

I may be wrong about my assumption of the valve color code system,

That is the case this time. For CPVC valves, the handle color seems to be related to the maker rather than having hot/cold color codes as are often used on laundry taps.

You also seem to have a ball valve in your picture. White handle. However the picture is not that sharp that I am sure what is there.

 

[Jadnashua]

The top of the tank will have (usually) an H and a C, or it may be color coded at where the pipes connect, to indicate which port is hot and cold.