By doing a quick inspection of your household appliances, you might likely come across water leaking from your water heater through the pressure relief valve. This is a simple problem to fix, and you do not require a repair person to fix the problem. The valve allows steam to escape whenever the temperature becomes too high, and most manufacturers have set the valve to open when the pressure exceeds 150 psi, which is equivalent to 210 degrees Fahrenheit.
A leaking pressure relief valve indicates either that you have a defective valve or the temperature or the pressure is too high. In this guide, we look at a systematic approach to troubleshoot your water heater pressure relief valve when it starts releasing water.
Valve
Check the manufacturer’s specifications and inspect if the water heater has the right valve installed. The heater might have undergone repairs in the past and replaced with a valve from say, a boiler. There is a tremendous difference when it comes to the valves and checks that the tag or the valve indicates 150 psi written on it. It will cause it to leak after minimal use.
Replacing
The best solution to the valve releasing water is to replace it.
1. Turn off the gas or the power to the water heater as well as the cold-water valve to the water heater.
2. Relieve the pressure from the tank by opening the valve located near the bottom of the tank to drain the water a little and relieve the pressure from the water heater tank.
3. Remove the overflow pipe connected to the pressure relief valve and use a pipe wrench to unscrew the leaking valve.
4. Use Teflon tape, wrap it around the threads of the replacement valve, and screw it tightly into place.
5. Reconnect the overflow pipe and open the cold-water cut-off valve.
6. Check for leaks and reassemble the system again until no water is leaking from the joints. Turn on the power or the gas, and enjoy your water heater without the valve releasing water.
Check the Temperature and Pressure
If after replacing the valve the problem persists, check that the pressure in the plumbing system does not exceed 150 psi and the temperature at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. You will need to install pressure and temperature regulators to do away with the problem of the valve releasing water.
You can carry out the above troubleshooting methods easily at home. However, with the installing of the regulator, you will need an experienced plumber to do the job. You can seek a second opinion if your attempts at fixing the issue bare no fruit from YouTube or an experienced plumber.
