I accidentally pushed the pressure release valve on my hot water heater last night. It ran for a while, and did not stop. I turned the water off, the valve on the cold water piper above the water heater, and it stopped running. Will this stop running at some point? The overflow tray fills too quickly for me to drain it. When I turn the water back on it starts pouring out again. HELP!!!
Pressure Valve Water Heater
the device once activated rarely reseals It is called a TP valve or temperature and pressure they cost about 15 bucks at the big box stores they usually have a pipe attached to them and are plumbed outside you will need to cut the pipe and unscrew the fitting attache to the TP Now remove and replace the TP make sure to use tape or pipe dope Do not touch the valve in the future reinstall the pipe and solder the pipe back together using a coupler
After long periods of inactivity, mineral deposits will form on the pressure side of the valve. When you pushed the valve some of the deposits likely lodged in the valve preventing it from closing all of the way. The good news is that you need not replace your water heater. The bad news is you will likely need a new valve. It is important to replace the valve in these situations because the same mineral deposits that prevent it from closing now can also prevent it from opening when it is needed to relieve excess pressure.
Tap that valve gently a couple of times with a hammer. Those valves are rarely used and sometimes stick. Remember, I said gently. If that doesn't make it close, replace the valve. Keeping the cold water shut off prevents the heater from filling. If there's enough pressure in there to keep allowing hot water out, it will eventually lower the water level in the tank and could damage the heater. Here's how to fix it. If it's a gas heater, turn the thermostat to pilot. Open the drain and lower the water level in the tank, or use this opportunity to drain it completely and flush the system. Remove the old TP (temp and pressure) valve and take it to the hardware store to use as an example for a new one. Replace the valve and hook up the drain. Close the drain valve near the bottom of the tank and open the cold water valve on the top. You can leave the TP open until water starts to come out of it, to allow you to burp the system. Now, turn the heater back on and set the temp to 120 degrees f. I'm a little concerned that the heater is not plumbed to drain into the house plumbing or at least to the outside where it won't cause any water damage. Good luck.
