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Posted: 10/10/2010 11:49:49 AM EDT
The thing is less than 5 years old when my house was built, it's a forced air exhaust system.
There's a little leak from the pressure relief valve, not sure what's causing it. Everything looks and works normal. Ignore the large puddle when I pulled on the valve, I thought it maybe stuck - but it drips every few hours. Bad cell cam pics.   |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 11:57:28 AM EDT
[#1]
wasn't an ao smith but i had a tp relief valve go bad at my old house on a heater about the same age. nothing real unusual I don't think. no big deal to change. not sure why your relief pipe just drains on the floor instead of being routed outside though.
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Posted: 10/10/2010 11:59:17 AM EDT
[#2]
You can replace the valve...sounds like debris in the valve is making it
stick open a little....try pulling the handle again it might reseat...maybe.. 
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Posted: 10/10/2010 12:07:31 PM EDT
[#3]
If it drained outside how would you know you had a problem with the valve? Wait until it blew your house off the foundation.
The valve may not be the problem maybe it's saving you from having a serious problem. |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 12:12:57 PM EDT
[#4]
Quoted:
If it drained outside how would you know you had a problem with the valve? Wait until it blew your house off the foundation. The valve may not be the problem maybe it's saving you from having a serious problem. that's a good point. the one i had an issue with drained into the garage, but the one i have now goes outside. need to keep an eye on that. |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 12:15:21 PM EDT
[#5]
Quoted: You can replace the valve...sounds like debris in the valve is making it stick open a little....try pulling the handle again it might reseat...maybe.. i do drain out a few gallons every 6 months or so to keep any sediment from building up. maybe the valve is just defective? |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 12:41:26 PM EDT
[#6]
likely just a weak valve, but...
what is your city water pressure, or are you on a well? do you have a check valve on you water meter? do you have a pressure reducing valve on your waterline? what temp are you running? |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 1:22:19 PM EDT
[#7]
You can get a new valve for $10-15. I'd recommend having at least an good size pipe wrench, as depending on how tight it is, I've had the down side of the valve crush before.
Sometimes even though you flush it, you can get mineral deposits on the seal. If you're using the t&p to break the vacuum when you flush it, it might just not be reseating. It looks like you've got a drain right next to the downpipe, so that's all good. If everything else is normal, temp and pressure, just change the valve. |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 1:32:50 PM EDT
[#8]
Deposits on the seal, or the seal just degraded. Very, very common. They often don't re-seal when you open it after not having popped it for a long time, but you may have very hard water & it's just got a bunch of build-up. Open and close it a few times (5-6) & see if it still drips. If so, just replace.
Sometimes you can push in on the center pin & feel a slight "pop", back into position. Sometimes this re-seats them. Sometimes, not. |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 3:12:54 PM EDT
[#9]
Quoted: Deposits on the seal, or the seal just degraded. Very, very common. They often don't re-seal when you open it after not having popped it for a long time, but you may have very hard water & it's just got a bunch of build-up. Open and close it a few times (5-6) & see if it still drips. If so, just replace. Sometimes you can push in on the center pin & feel a slight "pop", back into position. Sometimes this re-seats them. Sometimes, not. thanks for the info gentlemen! stupid question, i assume it's better to drain most of the water out or is it even necessary? |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 3:21:26 PM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
likely just a weak valve, but... what is your city water pressure, or are you on a well? do you have a check valve on you water meter? do you have a pressure reducing valve on your waterline? what temp are you running? My guess would be that you need to either replace or install a domestic hot water expansion tank. I see these problems all the time, most people think that repaceing the vavle is the fix but rarely do they go bad. The problem is most likely thermal expansion in the domestic water system. |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 3:35:45 PM EDT
[#11]
I just replaced the T&P valve on my 9 year old water heater. Took about 10 minutes to replace. From what I've been told, and have read on repair sites, it's better to just replace them if they leak like that. Popping the lever and trying to re-seat the valve probably won't work. It's easier to remove the problem valve, assuming there isn't a problem elsewhere
ETA: just saw the response above mine, I have a thermal expansion tank on my system. The original valve on mine showed evidence of releasing water after about 8 years, but no dripping. I tried the popping the lever to release some water and then re-seat the valve, resulting in a fairly steady drip. |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 6:53:31 PM EDT
[#12]
Mine is doing the same thing, plumber said I might have the temperature turned up a bit too high on the heater. I have it cranked up to near the top of the range.
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Posted: 10/10/2010 6:58:15 PM EDT
[#13]
Just replace it, cheap, do a water lock and you won't even have to drain the tank. Might lose a few ounces of water if you are slow at putting the new one on.
I'd be more worried about the crappy gas/thermostat valve they put on that model. Pricy............ |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 7:03:04 PM EDT
[#14]
Quoted:
Deposits on the seal, or the seal just degraded. Very, very common. They often don't re-seal when you open it after not having popped it for a long time, but you may have very hard water & it's just got a bunch of build-up. Open and close it a few times (5-6) & see if it still drips. If so, just replace. Sometimes you can push in on the center pin & feel a slight "pop", back into position. Sometimes this re-seats them. Sometimes, not. 
Yup; those valves will often not re-seat after you test them you have nothing to lose by playing around with the center pin and hoping it re-seats. |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 7:07:58 PM EDT
[#15]
Mine leaks constantly. My old one leaked. They replaced the valve. Told me that I had the water set too hot. So I turned it down. Didn't fix. They replaced the water heater. Still fucking leaks through that little damn valve. My house is old, so the previous owners had the hot water downspout or whatever, put in the garage so it would overflow down and out through the garage. It leaked so much I had to reroute straight through the outside. It leaks when it heats the water. Every. Fucking. Time. I hate AOSmith and wish bad things on the company.
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Posted: 10/10/2010 7:25:32 PM EDT
[#16]
Looks like thermal expansion, any time you heat water it will build pressure. Your Relief valve is set to open at 150 psi, you need to check your water pressure. Most of the time
its a three step process, installing or replacing P.R.V. (pressure reducing valve, if your water pressure is above 80psi) installing expansion tank (air charge needs to be set to the same level as your water pressure), and replacing the relief valve (they have a spring that holds the washer shut, and this wears out from opening and closing). I always hear a lot of different solutions. like turn down the thermostat, just replace the relief valve, none of these are solving the problem behind why your relief valve is leaking, remember it is doing its job, with out it your heater could build up so much pressure that it can take off like a missile through your house. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmJoyuUJj2Q |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 7:25:47 PM EDT
[#17]
an temp/press relief valve leaks due to bad seal or thermal expansion. Replace and poss install expansion tank or at least thermal expansion fill valve for toilet. Temp/pressure relief valve trips open and dumps if water exceeds it think 210 deg or 150 psi. If it dumps fix temp or pressure poss bad pressure reducer valve or bad controll valve.
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Posted: 10/10/2010 7:27:22 PM EDT
[#18]
Once you pop the valve or it starts leaking, there is no way to stop it, Turn off the breaker/gas, drain the tank down a bit and change the valve.
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Posted: 10/10/2010 7:38:18 PM EDT
[#19]
Not really on topic, but look at the part on the top of the water heater. It's gray and the clamp that is holding the gas line(?) is bolted to it. I used to make that part. The part was spun and then hand drilled on a template. The spinning part was easy, but the drilling was a big pain in the a$$. You can now return to the topic at hand.
Vulcan94 |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 8:01:09 PM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
My guess would be that you need to either replace or install a domestic hot water expansion tank. I see these problems all the time, most people think that repaceing the vavle is the fix but rarely do they go bad. The problem is most likely thermal expansion in the domestic water system. This. |
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Posted: 10/10/2010 8:11:05 PM EDT
[#21]
Quoted: Quoted: My guess would be that you need to either replace or install a domestic hot water expansion tank. I see these problems all the time, most people think that repaceing the vavle is the fix but rarely do they go bad. The problem is most likely thermal expansion in the domestic water system. This. my house is a new build, only 5 years old and the expansion tank wasn't included, i assume it's not required by code? |
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Posted: 10/11/2010 3:03:34 AM EDT
[#22]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
My guess would be that you need to either replace or install a domestic hot water expansion tank. I see these problems all the time, most people think that repaceing the vavle is the fix but rarely do they go bad. The problem is most likely thermal expansion in the domestic water system. This. my house is a new build, only 5 years old and the expansion tank wasn't included, i assume it's not required by code? It is in NC, not sure about Ohio. In NC we can install a expansion tank any where on the cold water side of your plumbing system, sometimes their not right by the water heater. |
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Posted: 10/11/2010 3:26:07 AM EDT
[#23]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
My guess would be that you need to either replace or install a domestic hot water expansion tank. I see these problems all the time, most people think that repaceing the vavle is the fix but rarely do they go bad. The problem is most likely thermal expansion in the domestic water system. This. my house is a new build, only 5 years old and the expansion tank wasn't included, i assume it's not required by code? It is in NC, not sure about Ohio. In NC we can install a expansion tank any where on the cold water side of your plumbing system, sometimes their not right by the water heater. It's no big deal. Just cut a tee in between your cold water valve and tank, and add the expansion tank. You need to come up with a way to support it though. |
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Posted: 10/11/2010 3:28:40 AM EDT
[#24]
should have bought bradford white water heater
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Posted: 10/11/2010 3:34:56 AM EDT
[#25]
This is the answer. I had the same problem start happening after replacing a toilet. Come to find out the type of valve in the toilet was letting off enough pressure with a very slow leak. Replaced the toilet and the pressure valve started leaking. Installed a pressure relieving tank and problem solved.
Quoted:
Quoted:
likely just a weak valve, but... what is your city water pressure, or are you on a well? do you have a check valve on you water meter? do you have a pressure reducing valve on your waterline? what temp are you running? My guess would be that you need to either replace or install a domestic hot water expansion tank. I see these problems all the time, most people think that repaceing the vavle is the fix but rarely do they go bad. The problem is most likely thermal expansion in the domestic water system. |
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