Your water heater is one of your home’s most essential systems. However, it’s prone to a number of complications. One of the most common one involves the pressure relief valve, which may cause a water heater overflow. The steps required to troubleshoot this problem might include the following:
Step 1
Check if there’s hot water around the valves. In most cases, the floor area around the heater will be saturated with water if the safety valve blows. It’s prudent to switch it off immediately to avoid additional complications. Close the gas valve if you’re using a gas-fed model, or flip the breaker to the off position on electric heaters.
Step 2
Check if there are any leakages around the overflow valve, especially on the threads. These threads should be re-coated by a professional plumber. First, turn off the water heater and release all pressure inside by pulling up the relief valve handle.
Once the pressure has been reduced, use a pipe wrench to unscrew the extension tube connected to the valve. Then, unscrew the safety valve and coat the threads with pipe compound. Be sure to re-thread the entire safety valve firmly before attaching it again to the extension tube.
Step 3
Carefully check if the pressure valve leak is on the primary seal. Build up of sand particles under the seal is one of the leading causes of this problem. If this occurs, switch off the water heater, and then open and close the relief valve two or three times. Hot water will flow through the overflow tube onto the floor. Then, place a bucket under this tube to prevent creating a mess as you work on the heater.
Next, flush water through the valve to remove debris particles that may have lodged under the seal. Finally, turn the water heater on and check if the valve reseals.
Contact Around the Clock Air Conditioning & Heating today for expert information on how to ensure maximum utility from your water heater. We’ve been providing excellent water heater installation and repair services for over 40 years.
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