· find the answers to common water heater expansion tank questions. Water heater expansion tanks , also called thermal expansion tanks , are small but significant devices that help regulate the pressure in water heaters and plumbing systems. A water heater expansion tank is a small tank that’s connected to your water heater ’s plumbing system. Our complete guide has all the info you need, including tank types, sizes, and installation. Expansion tanks serve as a buffer to accommodate the thermal expansion of water when its heated. The short answer is: Learn more about what they do and how you could benefit. When water is heated, the pressure can rise beyond the water heaters limit without an expansion tank. · most homes have water heaters , but do you need a water heater expansion tank ? · expansion tanks are safety devices connected to the cold water supply that helps control the thermal expansion of hot water inside a water heater. · whether an electrical water heater or any other type of water heater you may be using, it would be advisable to go with an expansion tank for your home water heater. · what is a hot water expansion tank ? Constant fluctuations in water pressure can be dangerous and they can damage the water heater , properly installing a thermal expansion tank can solve all these issues. It’s designed to absorb the increased volume of water that results from thermal expansion when water is heated.