If the problem is a faulty valve, then you might have an actual leak. The valve might not seal properly, for instance, or the valve can get stuck and remain open allowing water to continuously drain out. No matter what caused your relief valve to start leaking, you should contact a professional plumber like Cabrillo as soon as possible. If the valve is frequently being triggered, we can determine why the temperature or pressure is getting too high in your water heater and fix the problem.
If the valve has a leak, we can replace it with a new relief valve a very common water heater repair. In Minnesota it's rare for a check valve to be installed on the water supply line for the house, but it's fairly common to have a pressure regulator installed. When the pressure from the water supply coming in to a house is too high, a pressure regulator needs to be installed on the water main, to prevent damage to the plumbing components in the house.
The problem that these regulators can create is that they will act as a check valve; they'll allow water in to the home, but they won't allow water back out.
This creates what is called a 'closed system'. This doesn't happen every time a pressure reducing valve is installed, but there may be other problems that show up in the house, such as the toilet fill valves randomly re-filling toilets, or faucets chronically dripping. The Fix When a closed system exists on the water distribution piping in a home, an expansion tank needs to be installed somewhere on the plumbing system.
This rule also applies to hot water heating systems; when a boiler heats the water in a hydronic heating system, the expansion tank allows for the water to expand without the pressure relief valve leaking. If the pressure relief valve on a boiler system chronically leaks, even after replacement, it probably means there is a problem with the expansion tank. Reuben Saltzman is a second-generation home inspector with a passion for his work. Naturally, this blog is all about home inspections and home-related topics in the Twin Cities metro area.
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The 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities area this week. Four common reasons a pressure relief valve might be leaking include:. This is a common problem in industrial settings where environments are often dusty or dirty. If there is any debris in the valve, it can obstruct the valve from fully closing, causing it to leak. Pressure relief valves age and can begin to deteriorate, especially in factories and facilities where they encounter extreme temperatures and a great deal of wear.
Over time, valves can become damaged, which affects their ability to close properly. If there is any damage or excessive wear to the valve seat or seal, leakage is likely.
Another common cause of safety relief valve leakage is when the valve is the wrong size for the project. The operator sets the percent of set pressure and the duration of the test. When the operator starts the test, the AccuTEST system takes over, holding the valve at the appointed percentage of set pressure for the specified duration.
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