- This topic has 9 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 23 years, 6 months ago by
fourth year.
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Anonymous
i just recently replaced my hot water heater and the relief valve drains pretty regularly. I have been told that this is due to a build up of a pressure (no kidding). However, the valve that came with the tank is 150PSI and I only have 118PSI coming into the house. Is it possible that the relief valve is just bad? Any suggestions are welcome, I am getting the run around from the company. I also read in the manual that if this continues it could damage the tank, however, a plumber told me it was no big deal. What should I believe?
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Water expandes when heated, in a confined space it builds up pressure. The valve is doing its job
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quote:
Originally posted by bungie:
Water expandes when heated, in a confined space it builds up pressure. The valve is doing its job
I realize this, however, on the other tanks I have had, this has never happened, and according to the manual, this is an unacceptable condition. I don’t have a drain for the excess water to drain into, so I have a bucket there to catch the water that is draining, which I empty every day (needless to say a pain in the butt). This is a two family house and there is a separate tank for each floor, the other tank does not have this problem, only the newer one.
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The relief valves on the other tanks may have been corroded so they could not work, especially if they were more than a couple of years old. The relief valve on a properly installed water heater must either go to an approved drain or to the outside of the building within 9″ of the ground. This requirement is to prevent the exact situation you have, and also to prevent a flood in the house if it should do its main job and open completely to prevent a dangerous situation.
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118# is too much for a residence. The leaking relief valve could eventually be the least of your problems. Install a pressure reducing valve on the incoming water line.
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I have heard that it should not be more than 80PSI, however, the water dept. will not regulate it. They mentioned a pressure reducing valve, but I am not sure what is involved. Is it a big project?
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The problem your having is due to the fact that your skills with water heaters is obviously very low to none at all. I would recommend having a skilled master plumber, like myself, come to your home and help with the problem. Let me know so we can make the proper arrangements. You have the number.
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The 118 pounds COLD water when heated will expand to over 150 PSI in a closed system.
The Velocity of this kind of pressure will erode your piping system.Any water hammer with this kind of pressure can cause enough hydraulic shock waves to rupture your piping
Having a pressure that can elevate water to almost 273 FEET honestly doesn’t make sense unless your on a mountain top.
Most plumbing screwed fitting fittings are rated to only 125 PSI so any sudden close of a solenoid valve could quite easily cause enough shock waves to rupture a fitting or connection.
About the “flooding condition” the relief valve discharging outside is a LOUSY IDEA as when this valve does discharge it may go undetected and this could someone to get severely hurt.
Listening to ANY HELPER is not a very good idea as most helpers are parroting what they hear and not from actually reading SEVERAL codes.
The very 1st objective is LOWERING the pressure with a bronze pressure reducing valve then of course you can always add an expansion tank to take up the added pressure from heated water.
Most of the better plumbing codes require the in coming pressure to be REDUCED to below 85 PSI.
Personally I think you had better call a LMP or at the very least a Qualified Journeyman, with at least 5 years apprenticeship training.
Think about your washing machine Rubber hoses under this kind of constant pressure? POWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
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ahanks..install a small thermal expansion tank in the cold water supply to the heater. And your problems with the heater that has a spastic kidney will be over.
You really should consider lowering the static water pressure in your home. In my Mid Eastern homeland, we had a similar water pressure as yours (115 psi).
One night there was a terrible commotion at my oasis home. We live in a very progressive village of fairly wealthy goat herders.
Most homes have an attatched two camel garage. Well Mssr. Ahanks we had a water pipe fastened to the wall that developed a spontaneous leak during the night as I had mentioned. The water issued forth with such force that it killed one camel outright, and did considerable damage the other camels hump. To date we have spent over 2000 denari on having a prosthetic hump made for the poor beast. Our home Owners policy has a water damage exclusion and we will have to foot the entire bill for our loss. “May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the loins of Allstate”
Akmed -
Discharging the relief valve outside the building may be a “lousy idea”, but our plumbing code and the UPC require that it be done unless there is an approved interior drain. Which most residences do not have.
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