Pressure Relief Valve: Means a pressure actuated valve held closed by a spring or other means and designed to automatically relieve pressure at a designated pressure. Water Heater: Means any heating device with piping connections to the water supply system that is intended to supply hot water for domestic or commercial purposes other than space heating Hot Water: Means water at a temperature of 110 degrees F or more. First I will start with the Department of Commerce official definitions then move forward with the actual pluming code. The discharge pipe has both a maximum and minimum distance from the floor according to State plumbing code.īelow is the current plumbing code as written by the Department of Commerce. Attached to the relief valve is a discharge pipe. If pressure builds or temperatures reach dangerous levels the valve opens up and discharges the pressure. If you don’t want to read the code skip to the bottom for a summary.Ī typical water heater has a safety device known as a relief valve and is sometimes known as a temperature and pressure valve. To schedule an appointment, call (806) 373-7866 today.In this tutorial you will learn about the codes and regulations concerning the water heater relief valve safety device. Bring in the expert team at Pratt Plumbing to inspect your water heater to make sure you don’t have a potentially dangerous situation in your home. If water is coming out of the relief valve of your water heater, don’t ignore it. On the other hand, if the relief valve is stuck or has another problem, it needs to be fixed or replaced right away so it can do its job properly when necessary. If the relief valve is needed frequently, that means there’s an issue with your water heater that is causing unsafe temperatures or pressure. There’s a problem with the valve, such as a faulty seal, and the water is unintentionally leaking.īoth circumstances should be taken very seriously.The relief valve is working the way it’s intended, and water drained to reduce the pressure inside the tank.When you see water coming out from the water heater release valve, there are two most likely causes. Reasons for water discharging from the relief valve If at any point the temperature or pressure reaches an unsafe level, the water heater triggers the relief valve to open and release water out of the tank until the temperature and pressure return to normal. If the water inside the unit gets too hot (usually above 210 degrees) or pressure builds up too high (above 150 psi), the water heater can become damaged or even explore.Ī good solution to this risk is the relief valve. The relief valve is an important safety feature on the water heater. Upon further investigation, if you find the water is being discharged from a small tube that comes out of the top or side of the unit, runs down the side of the tank, and ends near the ground, then the source is likely the temperature pressure relief valve, or relief valve, for short. But before you panic, it’s important to figure out where it’s coming from. It’s never a good sign when you find water on the floor around your water heater.
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