How and Why to Maintain a Temperature-and-Pressure Valve | Ask This Old House

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This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains the extreme importance of maintaining your water heater's temperature-and-pressure relief valve.
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Temperature and pressure relief valves (TPR's) must be installed on all water heaters.
It is critical that a leaking or defective TPR valve is replaced immediately. Replacements can be purchased at home centers and plumbing supply stores.
It is also important that TPR valves are not plugged or tampered with in any way.
Richard also showed the Safe Plug Relief valve, a device that is designed to prevent tampering with the TPR valve. It is manufactured by Dulac Plumbing Innovations Corp. [www.dulacdpi.com/]
Photographs of the home damaged by a water heater explosion were provided by Anchor Inspections of Phoenix, AZ [bit.ly/3f3J2Nn] and by the City of Phoenix.
Steps for How and Why to Maintain a Temperature-and-Pressure Valve:
1. Regardless of the type of water heater, whenever water is heated, it expands. And the water-heating system must accommodate the expansion. Otherwise an explosion could occur.
2. Expanding water can move out the cold-water line. However, if there's a pressure-reducing valve mounted near the water main, the valve can block expansion.
3. Adding an expansion tank to the heater can accommodate a certain amount of expansion.
4. All water heaters are equipped with a thermostat that controls the water temperature.
5. If the thermostat fails and pressure builds up in the tank, the temperature-and-pressure relief valve will open and discharge built-up steam and hot water.
6. Temperature-and-pressure relief valves should always be connected to a discharge pipe that extends down to the floor.
7. Once a year, open the valve to flush out minerals and sediment.
8. Never install a plug into a temperature-and-pressure relief valve. And if you see a plug in the valve, turn off the water heater and immediately call a plumber.
9. To prevent someone from plugging the valve, install a tamperproof adapter.
10. If you see water dripping from the discharge tube, turn off the water heater and call a plumber. The temperature-and-pressure relief valve should be replaced.
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How and Why to Maintain a Temperature-and-Pressure Valve | Ask This Old House
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29 май 2016

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Комментарии : 95

@BrianWashington-jc6ig 11 месяцев назад

This was an exact replacement for the old one that lasted about 10 years. ru-vid.comUgkx7yWIKcrbA9KMHkGSfcgxW2lsjHT6B8Sh The top of my mitigation tube by my roofline was just a 90 elbow which allowed too much debris to fall down into the fan, eventually ruining it. Without this issue, I bet it would have kept running another 10 years. When I replaced this fan, I added an extra elbow joint so the top tube now it does a 180, which should solve that problem. The radon guys around here wanted to charge me a $300 diagnostic fee, then parts/labor (probably close to $600 total). I installed this all by myself in about an hour for the cost of the fan; it would probably be even easier/faster with two people. FYI the manufacturer's warranty greatly differs depending on whether you install it yourself (1 yr warranty) or have a licensed installer do it (10 yrs).

@felipeninja3235 11 месяцев назад

I bought this water heater ru-vid.comUgkx8G49mV71sAzUl9shXyLW-r3XgHH9EVh1 for use in my bus conversion. I installed it under my kitchen sink and it is fed by a high efficiency on-demand LP water heater. It is both a backup hot water source as well as a water saving device since we have hot water on demand rather than having to wait for the gas on demand water heater to finish its ignition cycle. I decided on this water heater due to the fact that it only draws 1300watts when it's ON instead of the 1500 watts that most Water heaters this size draw. In an RV a couple hundred watts can be a big deal. With very low standby losses, I don't have to worry about excessive power consumption. When propane is not available for our gas water heater, in conjunction with our low flow shower head there is enough hot water available to shower, albeit we won't be taking "hotel showers." Also very happy with the recovery rate of this water heater. Granted, it is quite small, but it does exactly what we need it to do.

@PALPLLC 6 лет назад

Just wanted to say thank you for the great video. It was a huge help!

@jorbace 2 года назад

I like the way they prepare the questions, all informative, safety first.

@JayWandersOut 7 лет назад

Wow. The lesson I learned is never let someone that has a gripe with you touch your water heater.

@Rifleman0311 6 лет назад

Rock solid education for anyone you thinks about working with a water heater.

@THEVOICEOFTHECHOSENONE 5 лет назад

Great video! Very helpful! Thanks for sharing

@conqwiztadore2213 5 лет назад

omgad this channel is a gold mine for apprentices...thank uu

@josephnorcalusa1710 4 года назад

Helpful information, thank you for sharing !!

@Sparky-ww5re 4 года назад

Great info. I had a co worker that had a water heater overheat. Thankful for the properly operating t&p. He was out of state on a business trip, returned home and it was like boiling hot. The cause was a shorted heating element that continued to heat with 120 volt to ground. Never plug the pop off valve. The worst for him was a high electric bill lol.

@65csx83 3 года назад

Always turn off the water heater when away from the house and turn off the water inlet to the house. Even then it's still a good idea to have someone check the house daily.

@ZacharySalman 8 лет назад

I literally have a view of the hot water tank from my computer and now I'm just staring at it. I think I'm gonna go test the lever.

@marshalllhiepler 6 лет назад

Sadly, Zachary never returned from testing his hot water tank. On a positive note; his computer survived.

@brandondraher7842 5 лет назад

marshalllhiepler 😂

@Vander_Galien_Handyman 3 года назад

They say his t&p valve still drips to this very day

@ZacharySalman 3 года назад

@@Vander_Galien_Handyman I'm just now seeing this comment thread again and I love it

@TJ-jx6dx 3 года назад

Wow these guys are pros thank you.

@javiergalvan242 2 года назад

Great video guys!!!!

@erickacosta3156 8 лет назад

wow great info!! no clue it was that critical, keep up the exelent work!

@samanthamonaghan7579 5 лет назад

This happened to the husband's great grandfather, while he was in the house. He made it three feet to the door, when the resulting fire and more importantly smoke, got him. He was like old. Not that oh your 50 old no like that 80 or 90 old.

@mohammedyaseenkhan1138 7 лет назад

I have a question . Can this valve function ad Nor return or as check valve to prevent water flow from heater to cold line ?

@ddd228 7 лет назад

Test the relief valve often. IF the water does not shut back off,replace the valve. Maybe you can clean it out and re-install. Crap gets stuck in there.

@johnburdinejr8950 5 лет назад

Yes, though I've found that just re-opening and shutting several times can get it to re-seat. I recommend trying that first before replacing.

@keithbrown8814 2 года назад

If u clean it out....use some vinegar to wide-scale the valve !!

@WompRat94 4 года назад

Nice, informative video. Thanks to the makers. I did grin when I heard the fellow state that if the pressure relief valve was plugged, turn the water heater off, call a plumber and get out of the house. Let the plumber deal with the potential bomb that a hot water heater can become while he walks into the house you stay outside?

@65csx83 3 года назад

Since the tank is intact when the plug is discovered, turning off the heater eliminates any increase in the risk of explosion and should eliminate it entirely..

@DarkRaptor99 8 лет назад

Check out the Mythbusters episode on water heaters the amount of power is staggering. The water tank shot out like a rocket on their tests.

@GrizzlyMatt94 8 лет назад

Not to mention absolutely destroying the entire first level of their building.

@crapper1 8 лет назад

+Destiny Oaks Homestead same as it did here so it proves it was not the discovery channel doctoring it up it really is a bomb when it catastrophically fails

@joseph-ine452 5 дней назад

True words from Pros fellas

@hildebertocarreiro9232 Год назад

Flex pipe legal to use on water heater in Massachusetts

@GoatzombieBubba 6 лет назад

Link in description is broken.

@btownb4462 5 лет назад

Do you need a thermal expansion tank for a tankless water heater if you do have pressure reducing valve?

@65csx83 3 года назад

In theory, no. Tankless heaters activate on demand so any pressure is immediately released.

@workingshlub8861 7 лет назад

a landlord i work for calls me up and says he thinks a water heater is leaking..he says he cant turn the cold shutoff is rusted shut.. no big deal i know those are in the basement i will come by the next day. i get there and whoever installed it put a ball valve on the hot side right at the tank and he shut that off!! he never shut off the gas and temp was all the way up!! things like that happen and that is how explosions happen. never put a shutoff on the hot side. i told him what could have happened and what to do next time.

@TheCladi8or 6 лет назад

What about expansion tanks? Does the pressure within need to match house water pressure??

@65csx83 3 года назад

Any air in the bladder is better than none in that it allows some space for water expansion. The pressure in the bladder is usually about 40 psi but can be higher to match the house pressure but isn't absolutely necessary. The bladder pressure should not exceed the house pressure. The bladder does tend to lose pressure and needs to be checked periodically.

@elhaci910 5 лет назад

Why mine has one on top with pipe going into the wall, and a hole on side labeled RELIEF VALVE which leaks water? Should I install TP valve into the hole or replace the heater which covered with rust?

@condor5635 2 года назад

Uh replace heater sounds like best option. TP is always on the tank in any case.

@Jemalacane0 7 лет назад

I am definitely sold on tankless water heaters.

@bmay8818 7 лет назад

Gammareign There's a lot less water in a tankless, so they are safer that way, but they still require T&P valves. But I still wouldn't want a tankless water heater (and I used to install them), because they're far too complex, often cheaply made, and really expensive.

@getmymail2676 6 лет назад

Bryce Mayall sounds like your really saying you don't like it bc you can't work on it yourself but is it much more effective & efficient than traditional water heater s

@WompRat94 3 года назад

@@getmymail2676 I think what he is saying is that your first repair on a tankless heater will neutralize the money you saved up to that point. The tankless water heaters are really for those that don't have room for a normal water heater. Slab and small homes where they put the water heater in front of the furnace so one or the other can't be service unless uninstalled and removed then re-installed. I've been there. I'm a tech.

@paulsawczyc5019 6 лет назад

Panic! there's a pipe plug on the relief valve - call 911 - get the bomb squad!

@christopherhorvath2090 5 лет назад

I ought a replacement today. Mine was corroded shut. I noticed the new one I bought from lowes is a 105000 steam pressure. My own one was a 100000. Should I be concerned? Or does not really matter?

@condor5635 2 года назад

Uh yeh it matters. Why didn’t you buy the proper replacement? They are all roughly the same parameters but buying original is probably safest approach for these or at least make sure values are same. Yours is 5% higher. Might not be a big deal but why chance it

@VolpeInCalze 8 лет назад

Mythbusters did an episode where they actually plugged one and heated it up. it's insane watching one of these explode.

@johnpinkston847 Год назад

What do you do if your water heater starts to whistle? I’ve been hearing a short whistling noise for the past month. I turned down the temp on our heater and I don’t hear it as much now but occasionally.

@quelragazzodeigiochi9166 Год назад

It could be failing. Or maybe you have a bad expansion tank.

@songfitsterlou2814 7 лет назад

Mr. Mathuen mentioned getting something replaced. He is referring to the pressure relief valve on the hot water tank? Yes? Just asking to be sure. Does anybody think that the elimination of a co;d water expansion tank located 15' away from the hot water tank on the main water supply line would have anything to do with the leaking of a pressure relief valve on it's hot water tank? Or is it because I released the pressure by the valve on the hot water tank that is the cause of the leak?

@gilly87S 7 лет назад

SONG FITSTER LOU if you had a thermal expansion tank on your cold water supply that was removed for some reason it can result in frequent activation of your temperature pressure valve... you could try replacing your t&p valve with an exact replacement or reinstall your expansion tank... expansion tanks are required by code in different situations but if your house had one it probably needed it... there is a fair bit of math needed to properly size and exapansion tank but too big never hurts... just results in lower bladder chamber pressures...

@songfitsterlou2814 7 лет назад

Thank you very much Shane! I guess I'll replace the old Expansion Tank and see if that stops the leaking from the pressure relief valve, or as you say the "t&pv. The hot water tank is fairly new. And based on my analysis of your reply, under the circumstances that I mentioned, the t&pv on that system did start releasing pressure the same day or the day after, leans toward the removal of the expansion tank having something to do with the valve releasing the air and the water from the hot water tank. Thanks again!

@chrisgast 7 лет назад

Do I have to turn off the power to the heater to test the valve or can I do this live?

@condor5635 2 года назад

Live or off does not matter

@WompRat94 4 года назад

Let's not forget kids, water can expand when heated, up to 1600 times IN VOLUME so if pressure builds to an unsafe level it will relieve one way or another.

@72superlead 2 года назад

We have our hot water service on a timer so it only heats half an hour in the morning and half at night. Which is a good thing because we could only get a 1,400kpa valve to replace the dripping 1,000.. hopefully in the event of a thermostat failure it will open before explosion

@condor5635 2 года назад

Get the valve made for it? Why would install one with 40% higher pressure relief setting? Hoping?

@thelogician1934 Год назад

Get a new tank. It's not that expensive.

@DragonGateDesign 7 лет назад

My water heater is on the lowest setting but still the relief valve opens. Why?

@condor5635 2 года назад

Just replace it. Calcium buildup probably or just old. $15. Temp setting and whether it’s dripping doesn’t really mean much

@ravengsxr 4 года назад

Would this explain why we sometimes get hot water from the cold faucet?

@condor5635 2 года назад

Absolutely not

@earthangel8730 Год назад

If you have hot water in all cold water faucets the thermostat in your hot water heater has probably failed. Shut of your water heat! Call a plumber pronto!

@heroknaderi 3 года назад

Wow

@c_beno3416 3 года назад

Is it normal that the releif valve and the hot water outcome are really hot parts? I mean it's not far from hurting my finger tips...

@condor5635 2 года назад

Yes normal. Obviously the part will be the temp of the water which is north of 120 usually

@worldtourmaster 2 года назад

If you release the valve manually once a year how long is it necessary to lift the valve open? 5 seconds? 10 seconds? 30 seconds?

@condor5635 2 года назад

Just a second is fine. It just to bring it open so how long does not matter

@misternobody4644 6 лет назад

Now that's a lot of damage. (Flex Seal)

@nopeq7774 6 лет назад

so as long as the t&p value is working it won't explode ???

@johnanders8861 5 лет назад

Nope Q did you not watch the video at all??

@condor5635 2 года назад

@@johnanders8861 - no it won’t explode if the valve is functioning correctly. Hence the need to regularly test and replace if it needed.

@GaryYoung-eq1ph Год назад

What if it's new but can't open it!?

@brianolson2171 3 года назад

The reason why manufacturers tell owners to test the valve is they know there will be a good chance that it won't reseat and you will have to replace it.

@Sparky-ww5re 2 года назад

Well it beats having your family injured or killed, when one of these tanks explode. A T&P valve can cost around $20 give or take, which is very cheap insurance. That's why all tank type water heaters, gas or electric, must have a properly working T&P valve at all times. Though very rare, if an electric thermostat or gas control valve were to lock up in the ON position, the water will become superheated, and when the temp reaches 210 degrees F, the valve will release large amounts of hot water until the cold water inlet lower the temperature at the valve below 210 F. It's also why a pipe is required to be connected to the valve and run to within 6 inches of the floor, to prevent severe scalding if the valve releases while someone is standing next to it.

@dannyboy9254 4 года назад

well I got to go take off the plug

@JesusChrist-es8pr 5 лет назад

could u explain this valve to me

@hanro50 6 лет назад

Mythbusters did a episode on this

@saturn0660 6 лет назад

Get out of the house? Or just maybe turn the hot water on.

@paulsawczyc5019 6 лет назад

Press the alarm like they did in Hawaii.

@Deafjustin 8 лет назад

I been myth buster show about hot water tank rocket wow

@indskab 8 лет назад

It may overheat!!!!!

@ZacharySalman 8 лет назад

That's what they talked about in the video.

@stevensharpe3182 6 лет назад

Tank not gona blow up unless it’s already damaged or you turn temp to max like mythbusters did

@scott5358 7 лет назад

wait there's more ...$105 ppsh...

@daversj 3 года назад

These valves cost like $25. Just replace them if they drip, not worth trying to service them.

@condor5635 2 года назад

Just got one for $14. Just test and replace every 2-3 yrs

@GaryYoung-eq1ph Год назад

Keep the plugger guy away from waterheaters always he's out 2 get you!!!!!! By the way how many explosions a year?

@brianreardon7700 3 года назад

why in the world would you plug that!!!!

@earthangel8730 Год назад

To stop a leaking valve drain outlet. Don't do it!

@brianreardon7700 Год назад

People are so dumb

@GaryYoung-eq1ph Год назад

Watch one of ur so call true friends is out 4 revenge!? Or wants ur wife!????

@dontblameme6328 4 года назад

No no no! You do not actuate the valve. One time use valve. Just replace it every 5 years.

@Big_Island_Boi Год назад

WTF? The title of the video is LITERALLY "How... to Maintain a T&P Valve"... yet the video gives ZERO instructions on doing that. Flushing the valve isn't "maintenance". And neither is "replacing" it. I'm looking for a video on how to SERVICE a T&P valve... not replace it.