Need Help With Hot Water Tank Problem

[Taurus357]

So i think my hot water tank needs replaced. Its got water coming out of the top of the pipe showed in the photo and has what looks like scrotch marks. Water is only coming out at barely as drip, but is still making a mess.

[MyNewNCHome]

That is an over pressure valve designed to allow excess pressure to vent. Check your heat settings, make sure nothing has gotten changed and causing the water to boil and build pressure.

I am curious as to why the pipe has been installed like that, it should point down so that if the valve activates the waters hits the floor or pan, pointed up like that is going to be dangerous should it ever vent.

With the one on the camper, as it heats, it drips a little and then seals. Sometimes I have to flip it open and let it bleed to clear any trash inside. I DO NOT recommend doing this while it is hot...steam hurts....

[bigfelipe]

^^+1 check the thermostats. bet it's turned up too high.

[Caesar_Mikey]

Thats a T&P vavle. They put them on so this doesnt happen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv178...eature=related

[jjwestbrook]

if it's just a drip the the pop off valve is probably getting weak. pick one up at home depot/lowes for $10-15 turn off the water supply. drain tank to below the PO valve level then use a pipe wrench. easy fix. dont forget to use thread sealant on the new valve.

[Taurus357]

The water temps were set to two dif temps. Top set to 150 and lower set to 125. Set both to 125. Hope that resolved the problem, but should I drain the water somehow? Hope I don't have to change anything out jj because as easy as you make it sound I would make a huge mess of it.

[jjwestbrook]

that way have been the problem , temps should be the same. I'm betting that the valve is getting weak. its a fairly simple repair.

1. turn off elec. to wh
2. turn off water valve on imcoming line.
3. connect water hose to drain at bottom and drain water until it is below the valve.
4. using a pipe wrench unscrew the pop off valve. (after removing copper pipe)
5. apply teflon tape to the threads of the new valve.
6. screw new valve into tank.
7. close off drain valve and remove garden hose
8. turn on water supply
9. after tank has filled up , turn elec. back on.

[MyNewNCHome]

You forgot one step...pray that the pipe has not corroded and causes the fitting for the valve to break...LOL

[jjwestbrook]

yeah tell me about it. usually though the PO valve is easy since it is brass and the tank is steel.

[snubbie]

Originally Posted by Caesar_Mikey

Thats a T&P vavle. They put them on so this doesnt happen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv178...eature=related

Wow! That thing launched like a ballistic missile! Now that I think about it, mine is located in the basement just about under my bedroom....humm....there's something to lay awake at night and think about! LOL!

[jjwestbrook]

I have never seen a residential water heater do anything that bad. I have had a boiler blow the pop off valve at a bank. it was kind of funny. When i got there there was fire trucks everywhere and all the bank employee's in the parking lot. steam was blowing out through the door to the mechanical room. The firemen had no idea what was going on. I got out of the truck walked over and opened the door. I opened the po valve and turned the boiler off. While the firemen all stood and watched. the bank employee's thought that the building was going to explode. JJ

[Dan in NC]

How old is the tank? well water or from city/county utility?
3 or 4 things can cause em to start dripping like that.

[NC 270]

A PRV valve with a leaking diaphram can cause your water pressure to spike causing the T+P valve to drip.
A faulty thermostat can fail to shut the power off to the element causing the water temp to rise, causing the T+P valve to drip.

[WRAITH]

That's a very interesting configuration for a P/T relief drain. I've installed and serviced many, and have never seen that "design". That guy made 5 sweat joints when he only needed one. Definitely replace the valve, to be on the safe side. I once had one fail in an apartment I lived in. Lost 25years worth of photographic negatives and many photos.

[Caesar_Mikey]

Originally Posted by WRAITH

That's a very interesting configuration for a P/T relief drain. I've installed and serviced many, and have never seen that "design". That guy made 5 sweat joints when he only needed one. Definitely replace the valve, to be on the safe side. I once had one fail in an apartment I lived in. Lost 25years worth of photographic negatives and many photos.

Back when I was a helper. I had a old yakee plumber do that. He said if any water diped That small trap would give it a place to evaporate. That small trap shouldnt hurt. But I seen a handy man. Run one up 4 story on a apartment building and tie all 4 storys togather. Big problems. Never know you had a problem.

Originally Posted by snubbie

Wow! That thing launched like a ballistic missile! Now that I think about it, mine is located in the basement just about under my bedroom....humm....there's something to lay awake at night and think about! LOL!

I took a class back when I got my plumbing license and they had a old video from back in the 20s when they started useing alot of E-water heaters. It was about 15 mins and there where deaths over these bombs.
Heres one more good one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF_Wrm-Ns0I

[Hunter]

I would expect the spring is bad in the T&P valve is weak.

Do not reinstall that pipe! With that bend, if water leaked into the pipe and filled it up and the water freezes you now have a solid plug on the temperature and pressure valve. If something were to fail in that configuration you would have a bomb.
I understand all those circumstances are highly unlikely but if everything played out just right that could injure and or kill you and your family.

I am a licenses plumber and this was explained in several of my continuing education classes.

[Taurus357]

Ok next question. Any of you guys licensed plumbers in the fayetteville area looking for work? I'm not too worried about it but would like to have it looked at plus I have another issue I need tended to in the form of leaky pipes underthe sink. Really minor stuff but I prefer to leave this stuff to professionals. I fix computers for a living and see how diy fixers with no idea what they are doing make things far worse and cost them twice as much in the end. So if anyone is interested let me know.

[MyNewNCHome]

If you can't find anyone here let me know, I have a great plumber that I refer pretty often.

[Junkman]

Originally Posted by Taurus357

Ok next question. Any of you guys licensed plumbers in the fayetteville area looking for work? I'm not too worried about it but would like to have it looked at plus I have another issue I need tended to in the form of leaky pipes underthe sink. Really minor stuff but I prefer to leave this stuff to professionals. I fix computers for a living and see how diy fixers with no idea what they are doing make things far worse and cost them twice as much in the end. So if anyone is interested let me know.

So after all the questions you just going to pay some one to fix it? Why did you bother to ask ?

[jjwestbrook]

he said much earlier that he probably wouldnt fix it himself. At least no he is educated about it so he is less likely to get ripped off by a plumber. but hopefully he wont end up with a plumber like that.

[Walt Sherrill]

I might have done the same -- asked a lot of questions to be sure I understood what was required before I made a decision about whether I wanted to tackle it myself.

(When I first got out of high school, many years ago, I worked for a plumber for about six months. I learned enough to deal with most small jobs, and to be dangerous. Nothing like digging trenches in crawl spaces under houses to give you an appreciation for what's involved in the plumbing business...)

I know enough, from that experience, and doing my own stuff in the years since, to appreciate BS if I hear it, but I now generally let someone else do the hard stuff or the stuff that takes specialized knowledge....

In the next week or so, I'm letting a local plumbing firm replace the water line between the street and the house, which is leaking. I hate what that's going to do to my front yard, which we've spent a lot of money getting nice, but I know there's no way I'd attempt THAT job on my own.

[mj1angier]

By asking question, you can learn what you feel ok trying to fix yourself or what you need to call the pros. And if that tank is over 10 yrs old, I would have him check the heat elements and overall condution of tank. That is prime age for problems to start show.

[Iron bottom]

Never trap the escape piping on the T&P relief valve. The trap can fill with debris and render the valve useless. Can you say lift off?

[ChadC]

I didn't see anybody address the black soot above the T&P. I don't know but i'm a curious feller and wondering if anybody can explain that?

[06]

Taurus, am not a plumber but have replaced several heaters, elements, and valves. It is not a hard job. All you need is a pipe wrench or an 1 1/16 open end wrench. Screw it out, put a new one in, and refill. Job done. If you cannot get anyone by Sat. I may be there to visit my "dogey" son and can help you. If you want to put a down spout on the valve then use a screw in fitting and PVC tube toward the floor. Much easier than Copper and works just as well. He lives on the Spring Lake side and is an accomplished mechanic if you need help with anything.