Replies

1. 
   BillHartmann | Feb 13, 2005 03:30am | #1

   Is it leaking out the discharge pipe (ie, the safety leaking) or is it leaking where the safety is threaded into the tank?

1. 
   bluejay | Feb 13, 2005 04:17am | #2

   It looks like it's leaking where it's threaded to the tank.

    

   Thanks,

   Dave

1. 
   davidmeiland | Feb 13, 2005 04:22am | #3

   You're saying the leak is at the pressure relief valve, where it connects to the tank and NOT thru the valve itself? Did you touch that valve at all when draining the tank? They're famous for leaking once you touch them.

1. 
   bluejay | Feb 13, 2005 04:33am | #5

   Yes, I "tested" it.  But only once!  Any remedy that is relatively painless??

    

   Thanks,

   Dave

1. 
   davidmeiland | Feb 13, 2005 04:54am | #7

   I'm guessing that it's the PRV seal that's leaking, but I can't see it from here. It's really uncommon for threads to suddenly start leaking.

   Drain the tank again, remove the PRV, take it to the plumbing supply and get an identical replacement, install it carefully using teflon tape and pipe dope, and fill 'er up.

   Also... your PRV should be piped to the outside. Is it? If not, that's a good thing to add when you replace it.

2. 
   MojoMan | Feb 13, 2005 04:58am | #8

   Interesting point, David. I don't think I've ever seen a PRV directed outside. All the ones I see have 3/4" copper aimed straight down to the base of the water heater.

   Al Mollitor, Sharon MA

3. 
   bluejay | Feb 13, 2005 05:04am | #10

   That's where mine is. It is "day-lighted" to the drain in the floor.

   I took another look at it and it looks like it is dripping from some type of extension that the PRV is connected to. The extension actually connects to the water heater.

   I'll take it apart tomorrow and head to the parts store and replace both pieces.

    

   Thanks,

   Dave

   Edited 2/12/2005 9:14 pm ET by Dave

4. 
   davidmeiland | Feb 13, 2005 08:17am | #14

   Around these parts it's got to terminate outside, pointing downward, not more than 6" above ground. Not in the room, not in the crawl space. Piping has to be hard drawn copper... can't use one of those convenient flexible copper water heater connectors. Not sure about plastic, but I doubt it.

   I heard a story somewhere, maybe here or maybe on the JLC site. A boiler malfunctioned and there was a lot of steam coming out of the PRV, for days since no one was around to notice. The boiler was in garage and the PRV was not terminated outside... turned the garage into a steamroom and completely saturated all of the sheetrock in the garage and ruined a lot of the contents. I guess that'd be an insurance claim.

5. 
   DavidThomas | Feb 13, 2005 09:21am | #16

   On the other hand, terminating outside doesn't neccesarily get noticed either. Had a friend who freaked when he got a $400 gas bill 20 years ago. Walked all the way around the house for the first time in months and found tropical plants going in the side yard.I dropped my PRV pipe to a catch pan which in turn drains outside. Because at -20F, a drip could cause a frozed plug and defeat the PRV. But, at least in summer, the water would be routed outside.David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska

6. 
   DanH | Feb 13, 2005 05:29pm | #19

   If you terminated a PRV outside around here, and it leaked at all, it could easily plug with ice in the winter. It would be totally unsafe.

7. 
   davidmeiland | Feb 13, 2005 06:03pm | #20

   Now I guess you guys know what I'm really made of. I don't live where it freezes.

8. 
   DanH | Feb 14, 2005 02:31am | #21

   Wuss!!

9. 
   davidmeiland | Feb 14, 2005 02:36am | #22

   Well, I lived more than half my life in Michigan... but if I have my preference, I'd rather not scrape ice off of lumber before trying to cut it while wearing huge gloves and electric socks.

10. 
    bluejay | Feb 13, 2005 05:00am | #9

    Thanks for the reply.

    Guess I got a project tomorrow.

    Thanks again,

    Dave

11. 
    BillHartmann | Feb 13, 2005 09:01am | #15

    I think that you will find a big difference about this in different parts of the country.Two arguements for having it inside.It is very common for them to drip and even those that don't will often drible due to high pressure or a closed system. It the area has freezing temps then the small amount can start freezing in the tube untill it is blocked solidly. Thus when needed it will not work.Outside it can be discharge and no one notices it so no corrective action is taken.

12. 
    MojoMan | Feb 13, 2005 03:07pm | #17

    Thanks, Bill. We certainly live in a freezing climate here, so that may explain why all of ours seem to be inside.

    Al

2. 
   MojoMan | Feb 13, 2005 04:24am | #4

   This is why I don't drain my tank. I always figure these little hassles will out-weigh any slight increase in tank life and efficiency. (But then, my water isn't very hard.)

   Al Mollitor, Sharon MA

1. 
   bluejay | Feb 13, 2005 04:36am | #6

   Well, that's what I get for trying to add some life to it. The water here (Indianapolis) is very hard.

    

   Thanks,

   Dave

    

2. 
   RichBeckman | Feb 13, 2005 05:33am | #11

   "This is why I don't drain my tank."I drained my tank once. The tank was probably fifteen years old at the time and I don't believe it had ever been drained. The water that came out was just as clean and clear as what comes out of the tap.I haven't drained it since (that was over five years ago).Edit: We have very hard water.Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.

   Edited 2/12/2005 9:53 pm ET by Rich Beckman

1. 
   DanH | Feb 13, 2005 05:48am | #12

   Same here, when the tank was about 20 years old. But further investigation revealed that there was about 2-4" of rust/silt in the bottom.

1. 
   RichBeckman | Feb 13, 2005 05:59am | #13

   "... there was about 2-4" of rust/silt in the bottom."LOL! Oh yeah, I'm sure it is there! Just nothing came out!
   Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.

1. 
   DanH | Feb 13, 2005 05:28pm | #18

   I got maybe half the silt out by turning the water supply on and off repeatedly.