Soler Plumbing LLC

Plumbing Services with Value & Quality

Why You Need an Expansion Tank (and How It Saves You Money)

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Believe it or not, a lot of houses still don’t have an Expansion Tank. Let me explain why that’s a problem.

Years ago, expansion tanks weren’t required. Homes had what’s called an open water system. That meant when your water heater heated up and water expanded, the extra pressure just pushed back out into the public water supply.

I like to use this example: remember being a kid and drinking out of the garden hose? You’d drop the hose in the dirt when you were done. Later, when someone turned off the hose, water would siphon back through, pulling mud (and even bacteria) into the water supply. Not great.

To stop that contamination, backflow preventers were introduced in the 1970s. These keep dirty water from getting pulled back into your clean water supply. The tradeoff is that once you have a backflow preventer, you now have a closed water system. That means the water pressure from expansion has nowhere to go.

That’s where the Expansion Tank comes in.

When water heats, it expands. Instead of pushing against your pipes or your water heater (which causes damage over time), the water moves into the Expansion Tank. Inside that tank is an air-filled bladder — think of it like a balloon. The bladder absorbs the pressure and then releases it back when the water cools.

Here’s why this matters for you:

  • It’s code. If you don’t have one, your home isn’t up to standard.
  • It protects your water heater. Without an Expansion Tank, pressure builds up, and your water heater takes the hit.
  • It saves you money. Most of the time, when homeowners call about a leaking water heater, the problem isn’t the heater itself. Depending on where the leak is located, the problem could very well be in your Expansion Tank. Replacing the tank is a lot cheaper than replacing your whole water heater. In fact, I’d say this is the case about 95% of the time.

One more thing: check your water heater for the little faucet-looking part on the side or top. That’s the Pressure Regulating Valve. It’s a safety feature and a clue — if it’s leaking, it’s telling you something’s going on with your system, often tied to the Expansion Tank.

Bottom line: an Expansion Tank not only brings your home up to code but also prevents major headaches (and big repair bills) down the road.

The Power of the Personal

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When you hire me as your plumber, I’ll ask you questions, learn about your needs, your time requirements, and anything about your situation that is related to the plumbing services I am providing.

Plumbing is personal for me.

So, when it came time to set up my own company, I knew it was important to keep it personal. I didn’t want to head out on the internet and find vendors – even if they were cheaper – for a few important reasons.

First of all, I like to meet the people with whom I do business.

Secondly, it’s important to me that I can reach out and speak directly with a business professional to answer my questions.

Finally, if I expect people in my community to use my services, it seems only right that I use theirs.

With that in mind, I want to give a shout out to some of the business leaders who have elevated Soler Plumbing LLC

Jodi Specter, who went above and beyond designing a logo for me as a true good friend.

My website was created by PigArt with Thomas Knoble
Bookkeeping by Jenn handles my bookkeeping.
My T Shirts were created by ASAP Tees.
My van was beautifully lettered by Funky Signs.
I highly recommend all these vendors for your business needs.

And one last shout out to my amazing wife, Amanda, who handles my marketing. She actually made me say that. Lol But, it’s true. We all need good people in our lives to lift us up.

To my many friends who promote me on social media and who call me first for their plumbing needs, I want you to know that I truly appreciate you.

So, my Tip of the Day: There’s an adage that says, “It’s not personal. It’s business.” Even though it’s business, keep it personal.

Sump Pumps

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Growing up in an old and historic row house neighborhood in Philadelphia, I didn’t even know what a sump pump was. Sure, we had rain; but, sump pumps just weren’t a thing back in the day where I grew up.

When I moved out of my family’s home, I ended up working in residential and commercial plumbing for various plumbing companies in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. It was there I began learning about the need for a sump pump.

A sump pump is a unique plumbing fixture. It’s a fixture that most of us will, at one point in time, need – especially if you live in a dwelling that has a basement.
It makes a lot of sense to have a sump pump if you live in an area that has a high-water table and tends to flood after it rains. In this instance, a sump pump can be, not only an asset, but a life saver.

A sump pump works by taking water out of an area and expelling it to the outside away from your home where it can cause significant damage.

If you have a high-water table, are in an area that gets lots of rain, or are in any way concerned about basement flooding, it’s definitely time to install a sump pump. Proper installation is important. If a sump pump is not installed properly, the pump can be overworked to the point where it fails to do its job, meaning, it’s essentially useless, nearly as useless as not having one at all.

It’s important to check to see if your sump pump is properly installed. When doing this, look at things like the float – a piece that is located on the side of your sump pump. Make sure the float is not rubbing against the side of the pit (the well that contains the pump). The float should not be touching anything.

Also, look to see if there is a check valve which will be located above the pump on the discharge line. Once you locate the check valve, make sure to look for the directional arrow that is clearly printed on the check valve. Check that the arrow is pointing away from the pump.

Another tip is to lift the float manually. If the motor kicks on, it’s working.

It’s important for you to know that most – if not all – insurance companies require that a sump pump is installed before they agree to cover water damage.

Throughout my years of plumbing, I’ve come across some professionally and many unprofessionally installed sump pumps/pits. Most of the time, if there is something wrong, it’s going to be found in the construction of the pit. The bottom line is that a sump pump that is improperly installed can be nearly as bad as not having one at all.

So, today, take a look at your sump pump to see that it will work properly when you need it. If you don’t have one, then consider the risk factors and make a determination about whether or not, you need to have one installed.