Over 698,000 strictly plumbing related posts
Plumbing education, information, advice, help and suggestions are provided by some of the most experienced plumbers who wish to "give back" to society. Since 1996 we have been the best online (strictly) PLUMBING advice site. If you have questions about plumbing, toilets, sinks, faucets, drains, sewers, water filters, venting, water heating, showers, pumps, and other strictly PLUMBING related issues then you've come to the right place. Please refrain from asking or discussing legal questions, or pricing, or where to purchase products, or any business issues, or for contractor referrals, or any other questions or issues not specifically related to plumbing. Keep all posts positive and absolutely no advertising. Our site is completely free, without ads or pop-ups and we don't tract you. We absolutely do not sell your personal information. We are made possible by:
Author:
alapon77 (TX)
This is a question about piping off of my water heater's T&P valve. Here are the facts:
- Electric 50 gallon tank,16 years old
- Placement is in garage closet of a 40 year old, one-story house, with solid foundation
- T&P valve opening has copper tube piping wrapping behind WH, and tapered downwardly into the cavity of the wall
- T&P valve flows unobstructed
- This wall is an exterior wall with brick/grout/mortar on the other side
- No runoff pipe coming off house exterior or foundation
- After several hours of flushing sediment from tank (never been drained) with frequent and constant openings of the T&P valve, water is discovered to be seeping from the grout (about a gallon or two) on the base of that exterior wall side in two places about 10 feet apart from each other.
Before I go digging into the wall cavity, what am I going to find?
Is this a standard in home construction?
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
packy (MA)
i can tell you what you HOPE you don't find.. rotting wood, mold and mildew.
what you have is not common practice and whoever piped it that way is an imbecile.
MA code which is one of the most restrictive in the country allows us to just stick a pipe on the relief valve and extend it down to 12 inches off the floor.
check yours to see what is recommended or allowed.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
quote; A code which is one of the most restrictive in the country allows us to just stick a pipe on the relief valve and extend it down to 12 inches off the floor.
that is NOT very restrictive. Here, it has to terminate in a "safe" location, usually outside of the building or into a floor drain. I did have one which went into the wall and did not come out, and no water could flow through it. Unfortunately, the thermostat on that heater failed and the burner would not shut off. FORTUNATELY, they did not do a good job of soldering the joints so they leaked and that is why the customer called me, before the heater exploded and destroyed her house, and probably her in the process.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
packy (MA)
that is my point..
as restrictive as MA plumbing code is, we are allowed to leave the discharge open ended at 12 inches above the floor. the reason for the 12 inches is so you can put a bucket under a dripping pipe.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
1. It should NOT be dripping, and
2. You have to be home to put the bucket under it, and
3. If it discharges the bucket will fill, and overflow, "instantly".
Edited 1 times.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
WC (VA)
And If ----- Bucket's Got A Hole In It (Hank Williams / Elvis)
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
One of our plumbers once fixed a leak under a dishwasher by putting a tin can under it. (the water would evaporate because of the dishwasher's heat) IT worked for several years, until the can rusted out and then they had the leak again.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
bernabeu (SC)
best practice:
discharge point would be 6-8" above a floor drain and visible from the heater (area) itself
as per: [www.watts.com]
WARNING: To avoid water damage or scalding due to valve operation, discharge line must be connected to valve outlet and run to a safe place of disposal. Discharge line must be as short as possible and be the same size as the valve discharge connection throughout its entire length. Discharge line must pitch downward from the valve and terminate at least 6" (152mm) above a drain where any discharge will be clearly visible. The discharge line shall terminate plain, not threaded. Discharge line material must conform to local plumbing codes or ASME requirements. Excessive length over 30' (9.14m), or use of more than four elbows or reducing discharge line size will cause a restriction and reduce the discharge capacity of the valve.
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
Edited 1 times.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
packy (MA)
well, i guess the entire state of massachusetts does not prescribe to "best" practice when we run a discharge form a relief valve.
no one ever runs it to a floor drain. in fact floor drains are practically non-existant around here..
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
quote; run to a safe place of disposal.
That is what I originally stated.
Discharge line must pitch downward from the valve and terminate at least 6" (152mm) above a drain
A "bucket under the drain pipe" is NEITHER a "safe place of disposal" nor "drain".
I stand by my original statements.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
quote; in fact floor drains are practically non-existant around here..
Does that mean "flooded basements" are normal?
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
packy (MA)
no, it means no one installs floor drains around here.
it is common to see new houses with a 5 gallon bucket buried in the corner of the basement for a future sump pump if needed.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
quote; it means no one installs floor drains around here.
And the washing machines NEVER leak or overflow, and water heaters NEVER suddenly "rupture"? Maybe MA has a law that says nothing can leak and cause a basement flood.
Edited 1 times.
|
Post Reply
|
Please note:
- Inappropriate messages or blatant advertising will be deleted. We cannot be held responsible for bad or inadequate advice.
- Plbg.com has no control over external content that may be linked to from messages posted here. Please follow external links with caution.
- Plbg.com is strictly for the exchange of plumbing related advice and NOT to ask about pricing/costs, nor where to find a product (try Google), nor how to operate or promote a business, nor for ethics (law) and the like questions.
- Plbg.com is also not a place to ask radiant heating (try HeatingHelp.com), electrical or even general construction type questions. We are exclusively for plumbing questions.
Search for plumbing parts on our sponsor's site:
Special thanks to our sponsor:
|