Situation: I have an off-and-on leak going under my kitchen sink. No rhyme or reason to it other than it seems to occur overnight.

 

Plumber came out today and tested the water pressure. Regulator is set for 75. Pressure was 110.

 

He then said that because there was a pressure regulator that there should also be an expansion tank (80 gallon water heater) that I don't seem to have. He said in order to be upto code that the expansion tank is a requirement.

 

Long story short: $1000 parts and labor.

 

Looking for opinions from those in the field.

 

Thanks

Had my hot water heater go out last February. It was still under my home warranty, but when they came to fix it, they said they had to install the expansion tank in order for it to be up to code. Basically said they couldn't replace it without also adding the expansion tank, which was not covered by my warranty. Ended up costing me roughly $400 I think.

Situation: I have an off-and-on leak going under my kitchen sink. No rhyme or reason to it other than it seems to occur overnight.

 

Plumber came out today and tested the water pressure. Regulator is set for 75. Pressure was 110.

 

He then said that because there was a pressure regulator that there should also be an expansion tank (80 gallon water heater) that I don't seem to have. He said in order to be upto code that the expansion tank is a requirement.

 

Long story short: $1000 parts and labor.

 

Looking for opinions from those in the field.

 

Thanks

First thing I would do is check your metal water discharge (not supply) plumbing for signs of corrosion. For example, the pipe that goes from dishwasher to main drain. Inspect under side. May need a mirror and flashlight. Small hole with any standing water may be why you notice problem in morning.

Situation: I have an off-and-on leak going under my kitchen sink. No rhyme or reason to it other than it seems to occur overnight.

 

Plumber came out today and tested the water pressure. Regulator is set for 75. Pressure was 110.

 

He then said that because there was a pressure regulator that there should also be an expansion tank (80 gallon water heater) that I don't seem to have. He said in order to be upto code that the expansion tank is a requirement.

 

Long story short: $1000 parts and labor.

 

Looking for opinions from those in the field.

 

Thanks

 

I'm not a plumber. Imo, 1)that's seems quite expensive for an expansion tank installation, unless there is a lot of work to get to where it needs to go. Tank should be under a $100.00 to buy. 2) Is your leak in the hot water line? 3) I would get a second opinion, bid, on the problem.

What is a pressure regulator?

First thing I would do is check your metal water discharge (not supply) plumbing for signs of corrosion. For example, the pipe that goes from dishwasher to main drain. Inspect under side. May need a mirror and flashlight. Small hole with any standing water may be why you notice problem in morning.

 

Saw two lines running from my dishwasher. One was a black rubber hose. One was a metal hose. Are you saying that metal hose could have a leak/hole in it? And why would it be happening mainly overnight?

What is a pressure regulator?

 

It limits the water pressure psi.

I agree with the idea of getting a 2nd opinion for that level of investment. It sounds like the pressure regulator is on the wrong side of the hot water tank to me. If the pressure is regulated when it gets inside the house, before it gets to the hot water heater, one wouldn't need the expansion tank I would think.

 

However, that still may not be the cause of the small leak under the sink. And do you know exactly where it is dripping from? When I put plumbing together, I will leave a dry paper towel (s) under the area which gives me a good idea where the leak (if there is one) is originating, then I can narrow down from there.

I agree with the idea of getting a 2nd opinion for that level of investment. It sounds like the pressure regulator is on the wrong side of the hot water tank to me. If the pressure is regulated when it gets inside the house, before it gets to the hot water heater, one wouldn't need the expansion tank I would think.

 

It is before the water heater.

My dad had a very similar problem but with running toilets and had to have a pressure regulator and an expansion tank installed. He had a buddy do it and it was a couple hundred bucks. The solution seems reasonable but the cost does not. I think they are really marking up materials and labor. I think an expansion tank is only around $50 at home depot.

First guy that I called said "about $450."

In doing some reading on the thermal expansion tank it said high water pressure could cause things such as leaks overnight and toilets running for no reason. Check and check for me.

 

For the plumbers, wouldn't a properly functioning flow regulator fix that?

Situation: I have an off-and-on leak going under my kitchen sink. No rhyme or reason to it other than it seems to occur overnight.

 

Plumber came out today and tested the water pressure. Regulator is set for 75. Pressure was 110.

 

He then said that because there was a pressure regulator that there should also be an expansion tank (80 gallon water heater) that I don't seem to have. He said in order to be upto code that the expansion tank is a requirement.

 

Long story short: $1000 parts and labor.

 

Looking for opinions from those in the field.

 

Thanks

 

 

Do you do your dishes on one leg also?

Saw two lines running from my dishwasher. One was a black rubber hose. One was a metal hose. Are you saying that metal hose could have a leak/hole in it? And why would it be happening mainly overnight?

Do you run dishwasher when you go to bed? In my case, leak was in approx foot-long metal waste pipe that runs slightly downhill from disposal to just above J trap. (Dishwasher drains into disposal.) Under side of metal pipe corroded over time. Clear everything out from under sink, then run dishwasher. Pinpoint where the leak is occurring. I replaced metal pipe myself. Total cost was under ten bucks.

Situation: I have an off-and-on leak going under my kitchen sink. No rhyme or reason to it other than it seems to occur overnight.

 

Plumber came out today and tested the water pressure. Regulator is set for 75. Pressure was 110.

 

He then said that because there was a pressure regulator that there should also be an expansion tank (80 gallon water heater) that I don't seem to have. He said in order to be upto code that the expansion tank is a requirement.

 

Long story short: $1000 parts and labor.

 

Looking for opinions from those in the field.

 

Thanks

 

Here's my long and short of what's probably going on. (DISCLAIMER: I'm a construction manager, not a plumber, and I've also not put my eyes on what you've got going on.)

 

1) I'm guessing you're problem is starting with the premise of thermal expansion. As I learned in Lynn Ray's physical science class, matter expands when heated. That being said, assuming your leak is not coming from a hole/crack/puncture in something, I would guess that it is the result of a fitting that is heating up and expanding as a result of the hot water temperature. Given the winter time's cooler ambient temperatures, this can cause whatever valve connections, fittings, etc. to expand unevenly because on the inside of the fitting it has hot fresh-out-of-the-water-heater water running somewhere between 120° and 140°, but then on the exterior of the fitting, it's somewhere between 62° and 72°. (I believe I saw something in the "What Do You Keep Your Thermostat Set At" thread about the Clyde household being even cooler than that at night.)

 

2) At night time, you run the risk of having hot water heating in the heater, then cooling down in the heater, and then heating up in the heater, and then cooling down.......all because there is little or no hot water being used in the night time hours. That could be causing some additional thermal expansion issues.

 

3) If your regulator is bad (sounds like yours is), then you're adding a higher-than-normal pressure behind the water that's trying to make its way through the connections that are already trying to prevent the potential for leaks due to thermal expansion. In your case, you're talking about water pressure that's almost 50% higher - 46.6666% to be exact - than what is intended to be going through those pipes and fittings.

 

So that's what I'd say is likely to be the cause(s) of your leak, and why it seems to generally occur at night. That being said, yes, you need a new pressure regulator, and yes, an 80 gallon water heater needs to have an expansion tank. $1,000 seems a little steep though. My gut tells me it should be about half that price (assuming they're not replacing the water heater as well). You should take that with a little grain of salt, though....because when I do estimating on plumbing, it's generally done for new commercial construction - that's a totally different animal from residential plumbing maintenance. I'd get a second opinion though, and if it doesn't come down to somewhere at least a little closer to the $750 range, I'd get a third opinion.