WATER HEATER SAFETY
The temperature & pressure (T&P) relief valve is found on all water heaters and is critical to personal safety. The T&P valve is a safety valve which allows for the release of excessive pressure that may build up inside your water heater. The most common cause for such excessive pressure is the burner or elements staying on continuously. If the T&P valve is installed incorrectly or not functioning properly, the water heater becomes a bomb and a very powerful one at that. The average 30 gallon [small] water heater will explode with a force equivalent to 2 pounds of dynamite ! I have seen videos of exploding water heaters and it’s quite scary how much damage occurs…
The T&P valve must be sized correctly for the water heater and be installed on the tank and not on the water lines connected to the it. Proper installation is critical because the valve has a short probe which is designed to constantly sense the temperature & pressure in the tank. The valve will not function properly if placed anywhere else. The valves wear out & can get stopped up with mineral deposits. They should be tested monthly. A test lever is conveniently mounted on top of the valve for this purpose. The hot water which is released drains outside the building onto the ground thru a 3/4″ pipe.
Tested YOURS lately? We find a VERY large number of valves installed incorrectly. If the people living in these houses knew the potential consequences of this, they might not sleep as comfortably at night…