# Our pressure tank is leaking **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 28, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912 "2013-04-28T15:44:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/1 "2013-04-28T15:44:00Z")
Our home is on a well. About a month ago our pressure tank started leaking. Some pics: [Pic 1](http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g471/ohio_rifleman/SDC10001-2.jpg) [Pic 2](http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g471/ohio_rifleman/SDC10002-1.jpg) [Pic 3](http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g471/ohio_rifleman/SDC10003-1.jpg) [Pic 4](http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g471/ohio_rifleman/SDC10004-1.jpg) [Pic 5](http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g471/ohio_rifleman/SDC10008.jpg) The tank is located in the basement. I am guessing it was installed in 1989, when the house was built. Can the tank be repaired? Or do I need a new one? In either case, is this a job I can do myself? (I am pretty handy. I have quite a few tools, and have installed copper pipe and plastic drain pipe a number of times over the years.) ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/2 "2013-04-28T16:13:46Z")
Is the actual tank leaking, or is it just leaking at a fitting? I wouldn’t try to repair a pressure vessel, but you may find you need nothing more than to take the pipe off and re-make the connection. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/3 "2013-04-28T16:46:06Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Is the actual tank leaking, or is it just leaking at a fitting? The fitting appears to be dry. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/4 "2013-04-28T16:55:16Z")
Do you have a manual for the tank, or can you find one online? Or just look to see if there’s a pressure relief valve somewhere, a likely and repairable cause of the leak. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/5 "2013-04-28T17:34:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Do you have a manual for the tank, or can you find one online? No manual. I’ll check online. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Or just look to see if there’s a pressure relief valve somewhere, a likely and repairable cause of the leak. There may be one on the bottom of the tank, I suppose. The tank sits on a plastic stand, so I can’t really see the bottom of it. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/6 "2013-04-28T18:46:15Z")
There won’t be much of a manual, because all it is is a [balloon in a tank.](http://411plumb.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Well-Pressure-Tank-Bladder-Type.jpg) Aside from physical damage, the only likely source of a leak is one of the joints. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/7 "2013-04-28T19:03:07Z")
Not a pressure tank maven but they seem to [range from around 150 - 250 dollars](http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=pressuren+tank+well&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS420US420&q=pressuren+tank+well&gs_l=hp....0.0.0.3274...........0.#rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS420US420&q=pressure+tank+well&spell=1&sa=X&ei=JXJ9Ucy8K9PE4AOn14DQDA&ved=0CC4QvwUoAA&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.45645796,d.dmg&fp=261115ea505e9937&biw=1280&bih=619). At that price it might be wise to simply replace one that has given 24 years of service. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/8 "2013-04-28T19:20:57Z")
I don’t believe most residential-grade pressure tanks are repairable. 20 years seems to be an average lifespan. Replace it - put in a bigger one while you’re at it. That will increase initial and short-run water pressure and take some load off the well pump. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/9 "2013-04-28T19:40:41Z")
I missed the 24yo part. Depending on minerals and chemicals in the water, there’s an excellent chance that the bladder has ruptured. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/10 "2013-04-28T19:45:40Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > I missed the 24yo part. Depending on minerals and chemicals in the water, there’s an excellent chance that the bladder has ruptured. Yeah, and that’s a reason to replace it even if something else that can be leaking is fixed. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/11 "2013-04-28T23:31:47Z")
Quick test. There should be an air connector like the stem on a tire on the top of the tank. Use a screwdriver and quickly press in the valve core. If water comes out the bladder is ruptured. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/12 "2013-04-30T20:19:29Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Quick test. There should be an air connector like the stem on a tire on the top of the tank. Use a screwdriver and quickly press in the valve core. If water comes out the bladder is ruptured. Good info. Those are called Schrader valves. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-pressure-tank-is-leaking/656912/13 "2013-04-30T20:35:31Z")
The rubber diaphragm wears out eventually on these things. I replaced mine a couple of years ago; it would have been about 20 years old at the time. I think I only paid about $200 for it at the time, but I did have to also buy a pipe wrench for less than $20 I believe.