Hot Water Tank Pressure Relief Valve

The pressure relief valve on my hot water heater electric keeps popping and sometimes stays open for a long period of time just flowing water.

Hot water tank pressure relief valve.

All water heaters have a safety valve designed to release excess pressure from the tank in the event that the water gets too hot. When the tank heats up water the water will expand and the pressure will increase. I did some research and my guess would be that the pressure is too high in the hot water heater because my main supply pressure is too high. The lowly valve acts as a safety feature.

Although the name contains both temperature and pressure most valves are almost exclusively used for pressure relief. It s designed to release the pressure when there is too much of a load built up inside the water heater. Should that pressure go beyond what it considered safe or into the danger zone. We have a full line of products in multiple sizes pressure ratings and inlet outlet types.

What does the relief valve do. Relief valves are designed to open at a preset pressure or temperature level and relieve the system when it has exceeded the desired level. This temperature pressure relief valve is attached to the discharge pipe. Im an electrician not a plumber so im asking for some help on the topic.

So what happens when the valve fails. A good solution to this risk is the relief valve. In most water heaters the superfluous water will travel back up the cold water inlet and back to the home s water supply. This valve often called a tpr valve prevents the tank from building excess pressure.

If there is no allowance within the system to absorb the increase in pressure such as an expansion tank or a thermal expansion valve and all the taps are closed the relieve valve will open and discharge water until the pressure drops to below the setting of the relief valve. So this release of its pressure causes your hot water tank overflow pipe dripping towards the floor where the hot water heater is placed. The valve s relief of elevated liquid gas or steam pressures prevents damage to the system. A pressure relief valve well as the name implies relieves the pressure in your tank.

When the water cools and heats it contracts and expands over and over again at times placing a great deal of pressure on the inside of your hot water tank. Heated water generates pressure. This valve exists to give water and steam the chance to escape when the temperature or pressure gets too high inside the water heater tank. However in homes with valve checks or one way valves and pressure regulators this is impossible meaning the water stays in the tank and pressure continues to build.

The relief valve is an important safety feature on the water heater. We offer a wide selection of relief valves for any application. 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. 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.