Prepare the New Expansion Tank — Prepare and Install New Tank Tee Assembly

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How to Replace a Well Pressure Tank · Step 6 of 10

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Before installing the new tank, you must prepare it. First, use a tire pressure gauge to check the air pressure inside the new tank. It should match your home's static water pressure (the video's pressure was 40 PSI). Use an air pump to add or release air as needed. Next, clean the male threads on the copper pipe fitting with a wire brush to remove any old Teflon tape or debris. Finally, wrap the female threads of the new expansion tank with several layers of Teflon tape, wrapping in a clockwise direction to ensure it doesn't unravel when screwed on.

Goal: Set pressure and seal threads on the new tank

Wrap the Teflon tape clockwise (in the same direction you will tighten the tank) to prevent it from bunching up or unraveling during installation.

Used in this video

Wire Brush — Cleaning the threads on the copper pipe fitting.
Air Pump — Adjusting the air pressure inside the new expansion tank.
Tire Pressure Gauge — Checking the air pressure of the new tank and the house's water pressure.

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FAQs

What are the most critical safety steps I must take before beginning to replace my well pressure tank?

Absolutely always turn off the power to your well pump at the main electrical panel first. Then, fully drain the entire water system to relieve all pressure. This prevents electric shock, water damage, and injury from pressurized components.

How long should I expect this well pressure tank replacement to take, and what's the approximate material cost for a DIYer?

For a beginner, plan for 2-4 hours, assuming you have all tools and materials ready. The material cost, primarily for the new pressure tank and fittings, can range from $200 to $600, depending on the tank size and brand, plus a few dollars for tape and rags.

Why is correctly pre-charging the new well pressure tank so important, and what pressure should I set it to?

Pre-charging with air prevents the tank from becoming 'waterlogged' and ensures your pump cycles efficiently, extending its lifespan. Set the tank's air pressure (when empty) to 2 PSI below your well pump's 'cut-in' pressure (the pressure at which your pump turns on).

Which specialized tools are absolutely essential for replacing a well pressure tank, beyond basic household tools?

You'll definitely need a sturdy pipe wrench (like the 16-inch self-adjusting one mentioned) for plumbing connections, a tire pressure gauge to check the tank's pre-charge, and a water pressure gauge to monitor system pressure. Slip-joint pliers are also very helpful for various fittings.

Transcript

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All right, and we're outside, I took the water pressure, water pressure is right at 40. Took off the cap right here, checked the pressure here and it was showing 35. So I actually had to hook up the air pump to it, air it up a little bit and now it's equal, it's at 40 just like the water. So what we've got to do first, what we've got to do at this point is we need to clean up these threads a little bit, just make sure all the excess tape is out of it, just take a little wire brush to this, just do it softly because this is copper and you don't want any burrs, it'll just make for a leak later on. So now we take our thread tape or a Teflon tape, we actually wrap it around the threads on the mail end here of the tank itself. So just keep wrapping this around until it's completely covering the threads and then we screw it back in. All right, we've got that on there, now we just need to screw this back in.

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