Practical Home Repair Tips For A Leaking Hot Water Heater

Any water leaking from the discharge pipe of your water heater is a matter that needs your attention. An unpleasant surprise for homeowners can be discovering a pool of water near the hot water heater. No one looks forward to calling a plumber for even the simplest improvement job. Plumbers are expensive and there's hot water leaking all over the floor, now. Fortunately, the source of your problem is likely to be the T&PR valve, which is an easy service to make yourself.

Water heaters just have three connecting lines. There will be a cold-water inlet line, a hot water outlet line and then a third line attached to a brass valve with a small lever attached to it. The T&PR valve, which appears to be the problem, is actually just doing its job of relieving excess pressure in the water heater. Because it's supposed to leak, that is when it's working properly. A T&PR valve is designed to release water when Temperature and Pressure Relief exceeds design limits..



This safety device protects the home from a dangerous situation where overheated water could result in an explosion. They are mounted on either the top or the side of the water heater and should have a short discharge pipe pointing toward the floor. A copper or flexible tubing drain line can be used to connect the valve's output side to a drain line or into a floor drain. A discharge pipe is not the same as an overflow pipe, as water heaters do not have overflow pipes.

These valves are not adjustable, and are designed to open and release the tank's water if it reaches a set temperature and/or pressure. Every valve has a tag attached to it. The tag will tell you what the design specifications are for proper working. Design specifications call for the valve to open whenever the temperature reaches 120 degrees F, or a pressure of 150 PSI.

The message here is that the T&P valve is sensing that the water temperature and internal pressure is reaching an unsafe level. The valve is designed to open just enough to relieve the pressure and keep the water heater from rupturing. If this is the situation, you must get the heater fixed. Either call a plumber to troubleshoot the tank, or fix it yourself if you are prepared to do so.

Always check the T&PR valve at least once a year. This is a simple process, although you are exposed to hot water unless you observe precautions. Just one test is imperative, lifting the lever attached to the valve will release some hot water from the tank. Hold the valve open long enough to make sure that hot water is flowing out of the pipe. Let go of the lever and it should close the valve and quit further flow of hot water. This simple test can be performed yearly.

T&PR valves may experience some corrosion from chemicals present in the water, so it is a good idea to check them at least once a year. If you think that you have a problem, you should call a plumber. Locate a reputable plumber or service technician to replace the T&PR valve if you are concerned about replacing it. It is a good practice to just use the same model and type of valve as the original when replacing a failed unit. Be careful to follow the manufacturer's instructions, as well.

With this bit of advice, you should know what to do when water is coming out of your hot water heater discharge pipe.

This article was written to give you the information you need about leaking hot water heaters and discharge pipes. If you found it enjoyable, why not browse through more practical home repair articles at PracticalRepairs.com?