Why Do Conventional Water Heaters Have Pressure Release Valves?

Every year, your water heater serves an essential function in your home. Your morning regular simply would not be the same– or nearly as comfy– without hot water. Water heating systems and their parts do not last permanently. Preventative maintenance is the crucial to guaranteeing that your water heater continues to safely supply your house with hot water. In this article, we’ll review an important safety component of your water heater, the water heater pressure-relief valve.

We’ll discuss what it is, what it does, and how to guarantee it’s still working and protecting both your hot water heater and your home.

What is the water heater pressure-relief valve?
Well the name explains it all. It’s a valve that alleviates excess pressure in the water heater tank. By doing so, it can avoid excess pressure buildup that has the possible to cause a tank burst and flood your house. It’s an unheralded however vital security mechanism for your hot water heater.

What causes excess pressure in the tank?
As your water heater heats up the water in the tank, the water broadens and steam is generated. The higher the heat, the heat expansion that occurs. This expansion puts pressure on the exterior walls of the tank, however this is to be expected. Some degree of excess pressure leaves through the pipes connected to the hot water heater. On the occasion that it can not, the pressure-relief valve sets off. By releasing some of the hot water and air, the valve decreases the pressure pull back to safe levels.

For recommendation, the normal pressure of the water inside of the water heater tank is 50-100 PSI.

What can fail?
If the pressure-relief valve is unable to open, the pressure can continue to develop inside of the tank past that 100 PSI ceiling. The heavy metal tank can stand up to a great deal of pressure accumulation, however it eventually has its limitations. The outcomes are explosive, as the tank gives way, sending hot water flooding outside.

If your hot water heater has an emergency shutoff valve set up, the burst will be detected and the supply of water will automatically shutoff. If not, you’re potentially looking at a flooded home with substantial and costly water damage.

What causes the pressure-relief valve to fail? In a lot of cases, the valve gets stuck or frozen in place due to the accumulation of rust and deterioration inside the tank. Or, the valve is stuck due to a prior circumstances in which it leaks hot water.

A damaged valve is something that should be repaired right now, but– unless you’re examining your hot water heater closely on a regular basis– may not be something most homeowners notice. That’s why routine inspection and upkeep is important.

Checking the valve
We recommend that homeowners here in Chicago check their pressure-relief valve when they flush their hot water heater twice every year. Bundling your water heater maintenance jobs together makes sense, considering that each of these jobs takes about 10 minutes to complete.

What impact does water pressure have on your home?
Did you know that most people use between 80 and 100 gallons of water every day? From using the bathroom and bathing to cooking and cleaning, your water use is a vital part of your daily house routine. Here are just a couple of day-to-day tasks most house owners do without thinking, and the matching amount of water it takes to complete them:

• Dishwasher: 4-6 gallons per cycle
• Flushing a toilet: 1-3 gallons per flush
• Showering: 17 gallons per shower (8-minute typical shower).
• Washing machine: 5-30 gallons per cycle, depending on your machine’s performance

This does not consider washing your hands, taking a bath, or watering your yard. Your water use might likewise escalate throughout the summer season, when you’re drinking more water or cooling off in the sprinklers. Taking all this into account, it’s important that your water systems are operating at their full capacity. Your water heater delivers hot water to your home, and your water pressure requires to be enough for your devices to work and for your showers to be comfy.

For all your day-to-day tasks to run smoothly, water pressure is specifically important. Imagine not having enough water pressure to flush a toilet or shower. There are other effects to having water pressure that is too expensive.

To get your water pressure inspected and adjusted by a professional, call South End Plumbing in Charlotte NC. We’re the professionals on all home systems and can make sure your house is performing at 100% capability.

Low water pressure
It’s been a long day at work, and you wish to get back, take a hot shower, and unwind with the household. You turn on the shower to see a small stream of water or drops coming from the shower head. Even when you turn the shower knob to full capability, only a small amount of water leaks out. What’s the issue?

Your water pressure is most likely too low. This can be a frustrating obstacle for many property owners, who depend upon high water pressure to shower, clean, cook, and more. How can you appropriately shower or wash your hands when just a couple of drops are coming out of the faucet?

High water pressure
On the opposite side of the water pressure spectrum, high water pressure can position a danger to you and your household inside the home. When water pressure is excessive, pipelines can end up being damaged and systems can fail  themselves to bring that water to you. The pressure can’t be too high or too low, it has to be just right.

Low water pressure is usually simply an annoyance to homeowners and does not present a major problem. High water pressure, on the other hand, can damage components, seals, joints, faucets, and more. Water pressure that’s too high can likewise squander a great deal of water in the home, leaving you with a greater utility bill at the end of the month.

Getting to comfy water pressure.
As it originates from the city water supply to your house, domestic water typically ranges from 40 to 80 PSI (pounds per square inch). Anything above or listed below this range could be considered too low or too high. Some professionals will state that any level above 60 PSI is too high of water pressure for your house. It’s best to talk with an expert plumbing professional to get your water pressure inspected and to find out more about what level is right for your home. Your PSI range can be impacted by elevation, house size, water requirements, age of your house, and other aspects.

If you haven’t inspected your water pressure level in a while, it might be time to call South End Plumbing for an inspection. Even if you feel your water pressure and hot water heater are working great, there could be hidden performance issues prowling below the surface area, such as a water heater that is running too hot and wasting energy. Only a real plumbing specialist can get to the bottom of the problem and help you save money, month-over-month.

South End Plumbing specializes in water heaters, so remember, we are just a click away. We also specialize in leak detection – give us a call! South End Plumbing is one of the only companies that will give you a free estimate. Call us at 704-919-1722 or fill out the form online to schedule a visit.