Question for all you plumbers out there.
Drained my water heater, like a good little homeowner, thus flushing out the crud. I ended up having to replace the drainage valve, because the washer failed when I tried to turn off the water.
Here’s the problem/question. I now have a leak where “pop-off” valve is connected to the heater itself? It’s a small drip, nothing too bad. Is this a problem that will cause a bigger problem later on?
Thanks for the help,
Dave
Replies
Is it leaking out the discharge pipe (ie, the safety leaking) or is it leaking where the safety is threaded into the tank?
It looks like it's leaking where it's threaded to the tank.
Thanks,
Dave
You're saying the leak is at the pressure relief valve, where it connects to the tank and NOT thru the valve itself? Did you touch that valve at all when draining the tank? They're famous for leaking once you touch them.
Yes, I "tested" it. But only once! Any remedy that is relatively painless??
Thanks,
Dave
I'm guessing that it's the PRV seal that's leaking, but I can't see it from here. It's really uncommon for threads to suddenly start leaking.
Drain the tank again, remove the PRV, take it to the plumbing supply and get an identical replacement, install it carefully using teflon tape and pipe dope, and fill 'er up.
Also... your PRV should be piped to the outside. Is it? If not, that's a good thing to add when you replace it.
Interesting point, David. I don't think I've ever seen a PRV directed outside. All the ones I see have 3/4" copper aimed straight down to the base of the water heater.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
That's where mine is. It is "day-lighted" to the drain in the floor.
I took another look at it and it looks like it is dripping from some type of extension that the PRV is connected to. The extension actually connects to the water heater.
I'll take it apart tomorrow and head to the parts store and replace both pieces.
Thanks,
Dave
Edited 2/12/2005 9:14 pm ET by Dave
Around these parts it's got to terminate outside, pointing downward, not more than 6" above ground. Not in the room, not in the crawl space. Piping has to be hard drawn copper... can't use one of those convenient flexible copper water heater connectors. Not sure about plastic, but I doubt it.
I heard a story somewhere, maybe here or maybe on the JLC site. A boiler malfunctioned and there was a lot of steam coming out of the PRV, for days since no one was around to notice. The boiler was in garage and the PRV was not terminated outside... turned the garage into a steamroom and completely saturated all of the sheetrock in the garage and ruined a lot of the contents. I guess that'd be an insurance claim.
On the other hand, terminating outside doesn't neccesarily get noticed either. Had a friend who freaked when he got a $400 gas bill 20 years ago. Walked all the way around the house for the first time in months and found tropical plants going in the side yard.I dropped my PRV pipe to a catch pan which in turn drains outside. Because at -20F, a drip could cause a frozed plug and defeat the PRV. But, at least in summer, the water would be routed outside.David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
If you terminated a PRV outside around here, and it leaked at all, it could easily plug with ice in the winter. It would be totally unsafe.
Now I guess you guys know what I'm really made of. I don't live where it freezes.
Wuss!!
Well, I lived more than half my life in Michigan... but if I have my preference, I'd rather not scrape ice off of lumber before trying to cut it while wearing huge gloves and electric socks.
Thanks for the reply.
Guess I got a project tomorrow.
Thanks again,
Dave
I think that you will find a big difference about this in different parts of the country.Two arguements for having it inside.It is very common for them to drip and even those that don't will often drible due to high pressure or a closed system. It the area has freezing temps then the small amount can start freezing in the tube untill it is blocked solidly. Thus when needed it will not work.Outside it can be discharge and no one notices it so no corrective action is taken.
Thanks, Bill. We certainly live in a freezing climate here, so that may explain why all of ours seem to be inside.
Al
This is why I don't drain my tank. I always figure these little hassles will out-weigh any slight increase in tank life and efficiency. (But then, my water isn't very hard.)
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
Well, that's what I get for trying to add some life to it. The water here (Indianapolis) is very hard.
Thanks,
Dave
"This is why I don't drain my tank."I drained my tank once. The tank was probably fifteen years old at the time and I don't believe it had ever been drained. The water that came out was just as clean and clear as what comes out of the tap.I haven't drained it since (that was over five years ago).Edit: We have very hard water.Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.
Edited 2/12/2005 9:53 pm ET by Rich Beckman
Same here, when the tank was about 20 years old. But further investigation revealed that there was about 2-4" of rust/silt in the bottom.
"... there was about 2-4" of rust/silt in the bottom."LOL! Oh yeah, I'm sure it is there! Just nothing came out!
Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.
I got maybe half the silt out by turning the water supply on and off repeatedly.