Water Heater T P Valve Drain Line

The purpose of this drain line is to discharge potentially hot scalding water to a safe location so that a bystander is not scalded.

Water heater t p valve drain line.

Understanding water heater installation code requirements can be a real pain. But if the termination of the piping is not readily visible such as if it is located under the house the water will continue to drain until the homeowner gets an amazing electric or gas bill and goes searching for the reason. The valve should be connected to a discharge pipe also called a drain line that runs down the length of the water heater tank. The tpr valve will activate if either water temperature measured in degrees fahrenheit or pressure measured in pounds per square inch psi exceed safe levels.

T p valve the. The valve is called a t p valve or tpr valve for temperature and pressure relief. Temperature pressure relief valve discharge tubes drain lines their piping. This reduces the risk of water damage from leaks and aids during flushing.

When a water heater is overheating the increase in pressure or temperature or both cause spillage of water at the temperature and pressure relief valve. Most areas require a drain pan with a drain line under it. Violating these codes may result in fines voiding your warranty or putting your family at risk. Add a pvc t connection to floor pipe route the drain pan line into the side of the t on a downward slope.

On the side or top of your water heater tank is a valve connected to a metal or plastic discharge tube pointing downward. The purpose of the relief valve also called tpr valve temperature pressure relief is specifically to prevent over pressure from bursting or exploding the water heater tank. If the water heater thermostat fails to turn off at its temperature setting and continues to heat the water indefinitely the tpr valve will open and let the overheated water out. Follow local building codes when deciding where to drain any water that drains out of the tank.

Next to water heater is a 1 1 2 pvc pipe that starts 2 above floor grade goes down into floor takes a 90 degree turn and ends about 8 past the exterior wall and maybe 4 off the ground above a planting bed. If all goes well a tpr valve never gets used except during testing. Here s my current plan.