On 12/21/2010 11:34 PM, IGot2P wrote:
Okay, it is a two to three year old electric water heater and this
evening the relief valve tripped and dumped a limited amount of water. I
have no clue as to why it tripped, it never has before. The down pipe
from the relief valve is still dripping even thought I have opened and
closed the valve several times.

1.) I know that the relief valve is both pressure and temperature
sensitive but what is your best guess of why it tripped in the first place?
2.) Is it the nature of these relief valves to not totally re-seat once
they have tripped?

It didn't do any damage for three reasons. First, it let out a limited
amount of water. Secondly, the down pipe is very close to a floor drain.
And finally, we have a water alarm near that floor drain and it went off
and we just happened to be home.

Unless most all of you think that something is messed up with the water
heater I plan to just replace the relief valve in the morning and let it
go at that. Although I never do, I just might shut it off when we leave
for warmer weather this winter.

Happy Holidays,

Don





A good practice is to shut the water off ANYtime you leave the house.
And if we're leaving for more than 24 hours, i go ahead and shut off the
water heaters also. No need keeping water hot for nobody home.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email