Water Heater TPR Valve Information
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The TPR Valve is a safety valve that releases water (and thus
relieves pressure) if either the temperature or pressure in the
water heater tank gets too high. These valves are very important.
Water heaters can become bombs if the pressure gets too high and
the valve fails to work. |
Check out this link for glimpse of the damage caused by a small (5 gallon)
water heater when the TPR valve didn't work:
http://www.safteng.net/Accident%20Photos/Hot%20Water%20heater%20explosion.htm
What if the TPR Valve starts leaking? Your TPR valve may suddenly start
leaking. As the valves get older they sometimes begin to leak. Once the
valve begins a slow leak it builds up deposits in the valve that begin
to interfere with it closing. There's a lever on the valve that lets
you open it deliberately. Some plumbers advise that you open the TPR
valve with the lever periodically to be sure it's working properly. In
our experience, if you open an older valve it's likely it will never
close properly again - it will begin to leak when it wasn't before. A
TPR valve replacement is not typically an expensive project.
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Note: If you also replace the discharge tube, it must be
made of a material that's rated for both high temperature and
pressure. This includes most
rigid wall copper, iron and, in most places, chlorinated polyvinylchloride
(CPVC plastic not regular PVC) pipe. The pipe size must match the
opening size of the TPR valve discharge (usually ¾ inch). It must terminate
6"-12" above the ground or floor, and the end cannot be
threaded or have a fitting which permits connecting a plug or cap.
Newer construction
requirements demand that the discharge piping end terminate outside
the building.
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