There can be several reasons why the pressure relief valve of your water heater is leaking. Some of these include a water pressure or a water temperature that is too high inside the tank, as well as a temperature and pressure valve that has not been used for a long time. It can also be that a wrong valve was installed or the one installed is already damaged.
Pressure Relief Valve Replacement
In case the pressure relief valve of your water heating is leaking, the most viable thing that you can do is to replace it. A seasoned gas hot water system installer Canberra locals often rely on to suggest that you should call a professional plumber to handle this for you to ensure that the installation is done properly. Nonetheless, you can also follow the steps listed below to replace the pressure relief valve of your water heater.
1. Turn off the power.
The first thing that you need to do to replace your pressure relief valve is to turn off the power. For a gas-powered water heater, you need to shut off the gas supply while for an electric water heater, you need to locate the circuit breaker. In terms of the former, you only need to turn the control knob to the vacation or pilot setting. In terms of the former, locating the circuit breaker will prevent the water heater from producing hot water.
2. Turn off the cold water supply.
The next thing that you need to do after shutting off the power of your water heater is to turn off the cold water supply. More often than not, the shut-off valve, which can either be a ball or a gate valve, is located directly over the water heater. A gate valve usually needs to be turned clockwise to close while the handle of a ball valve needs to be positioned perpendicular to the pipe to close.
3. Drain water.
As soon as you have shut off the cold water supply, you can begin draining water from your heater. The level of water that should be left, if any, should be lower than the valve. In this case, you may need to drain about 10 gallons of water. Just connect a garden hose to the drain valve before you open it to direct the water outside or to a floor drain.
4. Remove the pressure relief valve.
When your water heater is empty, the next thing that you need to do is to remove the pressure relief valve. In this case, you have to remove the discharge pipe by unscrewing it and setting it aside. However, there are certain instances wherein you need to cut off this pipe rather than merely unscrewing it. From there, you will already be able to unscrew the old pressure relief valve.
5. Install a new pressure relief valve.
You can screw a new pressure relief valve by hand and use a wrench to tighten it. Beforehand, you can wrap a Teflon tape around the threads of the new pressure relief valve to prevent leaks in the future. As soon as you have installed the new valve, you need to reattach the drain pipe. It will also be a good idea to wrap the threads of the pipe with Teflon tape beforehand.
Regardless of the reason why your pressure relief valve is leaking, the most viable thing that you can do is to replace it entirely. In this case, get in touch with a reliable and seasoned plumber in Canberra who will be able to do this for you. In this way, you will be guaranteed that the installation is done properly the first time around.
