Hot water heater pressure release valve...driving me crazy!

I have a 4 to 5 year old electric hot water heater. One day the pressure release valve started leaking. I let it go for about a week until I could get to it to fix it. Then one of the two elements went bad. I decided to fix it all at once. I replaced the two elements and the PRV. There was a TON of sediment, I'm guessing calcium, at the bottom of the tank, on the elements, and on the down tubes (sorry...don't know what they are called!) The new PRV started dripping. I replaced it thinking the new valve was bad. THAT valve started dripping. I replaced THAT PRV with a brand spanking new one! Guess what? It leaks too. The temperature of the water is holding at 135 degrees so the temp is not a problem. The valve is rated at 150 PSI and 210 degrees. Oh yea...the PRV seems to leak alot more when someone takes a shower, runs the dishwasher or washing machine. Any help anyone can give me is greatly appreciated!!

Re: Anti-Surge - Anti-Hammer

Greetings Ron welcome to the Forum.

Wow, you've sure had a time with that Heater!

I'm not sure that I can give you an answer if the T/P is continuously leaking. That generally requires a replacement, which you have already done.

However,
If it leaks/drips occasionally, it sounds like you're having a surge problem, and it's just overcoming the relief pressure.

I'm thinking it's more like that, since you mention Showers and Dishwasher, since both of those activities, require valves to be opened and closed, specially on the Dishwasher part.

Do you have any Surge Piping installed somewhere (usually the Attic) ?

That would be a Vertical set of Pipes, just sticking up in the Attic, which are capped off, and usually from two to three feet high.

Idea for this, is to intentionally capture Air in the Pipe, where when a valve is suddenly closed, that the water pressure will surge up into the empty pipe, and diminish am instantaneous spike of pressure in your system. Sometimes they're called Anti-Hammer Pipes.

Look around and see if you have those, and if not, it's not all that hard to put a set in on the CW and HW lines.

The two empty Pipes is the Poor Mans way of doing this, they do make Gas Filled Cylinders that do the same thing, but cost a LOT !

Have a good Day !
S.W.

Thank you very much for your reply!! No...I don't believe I have those pipes. The pipes run from the water heater down into the crawl space and then to the rest of the house. I do have quite a bit of water hammer also on both the cold and hot sides. We bought the house in August and we had no problems with the water heater until sometime in November, with the leaking PRV. Could the calcium buildup in the water heater have anything to do with it? The cold water comes into the house in my crawl space. It thens T's off to the rest of the house and up to the water heater. Will the installation of these pipes help with the pressure in the hot water heater and the water hammer? What is the best way to install them? Thanks again!! Ron

Ron,

A picture is worth a thousand words...

http://www.diyforums.net/index.php?option=com_zoom& Itemid=42&PageNo=1&catid=2&hit=1&id=82&lang=en& page=view

Calcification would have more to do with Flow, than Hammering.

Either Single or Dual Pipe won't effect your Flow or Pressure, save that it will keep the system from spiking the pressure, and making your T/P "burp".

Have a good Day !
S.W.

The problem with a pipe with a cap on it allows for no means to properly bleed out the water when the chamber becomes water logged.

The proper type of air chamber is either a bladder type or a home made one where you have the pipe coming up with a valve (#1) then a short piece of tubing /pipe then a TEE and on the bull of the tee a hose bib (#3) and on the run of the pipe on the top another valve (#2)

When the air chamber becomes full of water and the hydraulic shock starts all one has to do is shut valve #1 place a hose or pail under valve #3 open valve #2 to allow air to replenish the air chamber as water flows out of valve #3.

As soon as water stops flowing valve #3 this valve is shut the top valve is shut (valve #2) and valve #1 is opened slowly and presto the chamber is now replenished and ready for service TA DUMMMM

ron,

Assuming that the Stand Pipe is installed properly, ie: tightly with no leaks. It is unlikely that it would become full of water under any circumstances.

Given that anything is possible, if it did, a regular (annual) discharging of the debris at the bottom of the Heater, would allow the Stand Pipe to evacuate any excessive level it may have acquired.

This is a tried and true way to simply put some protection against Hammering in your system.

Useing threadded Hardware Store available Parts, only prdomotes the ability of the Homeowner to DIY, rather than install expensive Chmbers and multiple valves, keeiping the cost at a minimun. Wich is the direction of this Forum, and intent of the DIY process.

Have a good Day !
S.W.

try installing a pressure reducer on the water main