water heater question

[the sagacious dolt]

I had a new water heater installed and the instructions call for a drain under the TPR valve tube. The plumber who installed the water heater did not install a drain.

My question is: Do I have to rip up the concrete floor to put in a drain or can I just stick a plastic bucket under there to catch the water.

thanks the sagacious dolt

[Frank]

I've never had any connected to a drain but every now and then valve will fail or burp so it is probably a good idea to put a bucket under it. Frank

[Ken]

A bucket would work in most cases because the amount of water from it would be minimal. Another technique is to attach a garden hose long enough to route the water to a place where it could drain. Perhaps a drain or outside?

[hallerb]

with no line going to a few inches off the floor, if it opens say from too hot a passerby can get scalded.....

i would add some plastic pipe its cheap

if you run it to a garden hose outdoors, the valve might fail and leak and you wouldnt know.

if the valve leaked at the tank woiuld it do any damage?

[trader4]

The last question is key. Also keep in mind that if it should open for any reason, there is also the possibility that it may not fully close again. It's not uncommon for this to happen if you open/close it for testing. Sometimes you will get some continuous leakage and wind up replacing the valve.

AFAIK, code in most areas says there has to be a pipe from the TPR extending down to within a certain distance (6"?) of the floor. Whether you want or need more than that depends on where the water would go and what damage it could do. And at the same time, I would consider where the water from a tank leak would go. Also consider one of the $10 water alarms, which can give you a heads up, especially if the heater is somewhere that it will go unnoticed.

[Goedjn]

Depends on whether you care what gets flooded when the thing lets go, because it may not close again.

[Jeff Wisnia]

The proper "complete solution" is to put an overflow pan under the heater and the bottom end of the pipe running down from the TP valve. The drain from the pan is connected through hose or piping to a real drain or a point outside the building.

That way, whether it's the TP valve opening or the tank rusting out and leaking, the water will be safely carried away.

Those overflow pans (plastic) are quite cheap, and very good insurance.

Jeff

[Don Young]

Along with the other good advice given, remember that one of the main purposes of this valve is to prevent explosion by venting the water heater if it should overheat because of a control malfunction. If it does this, there will be a good sized burst of really hot water and probably some steam blasting out of the valve. It is nice to have that blast directed somewhere it does minimal damage and where you can get to the heater to shut it off.

Don Young

[the sagacious dolt]

| > My question is: | > Do I have to rip up the concrete floor to put in a drain or can I just | > stick a plastic bucket under there to catch the water. | >

| > thanks | > the sagacious dolt | >

| >

| | | The proper "complete solution" is to put an overflow pan under the | heater and the bottom end of the pipe running down from the TP valve. | The drain from the pan is connected through hose or piping to a real | drain or a point outside the building.

WHAT IF MY HOUSE DRAIN IS 3 FEET HIGHER THAN MY WATER HEATER?

| | That way, whether it's the TP valve opening or the tank rusting out and | leaking, the water will be safely carried away.

MY PLUMBER PUT THE WATER HEATER ON 2X4 PT SLEEPERS.

| | Those overflow pans (plastic) are quite cheap, and very good insurance.

HOW DO I GET THE PLASTIC PAN UNDER THOSE 2X4'S? OR SHOULD IT GO ON TOP OF THE 2X4 SLEEPERS?

thanks the sagacious dolt

|

[the sagacious dolt]

| >My question is: | >Do I have to rip up the concrete floor to put in a drain or can I just | >stick a plastic bucket under there to catch the water. | >

| | Depends on whether you care what gets flooded | when the thing lets go, because it may not | close again.

BOY THAT WOULD SUCK TO GET STUCK. CONSIDERING MY SHUT-OFF IS ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE WATER HEATER. MAYBE A METAL BUCKET INSTEAD OF PLASTIC?

[the sagacious dolt]

| > My question is: | > Do I have to rip up the concrete floor to put in a drain or can I just | > stick a plastic bucket under there to catch the water. | >

| > thanks | > the sagacious dolt | >

| >

| Along with the other good advice given, remember that one of the main | purposes of this valve is to prevent explosion by venting the water heater | if it should overheat because of a control malfunction. If it does this, | there will be a good sized burst of really hot water and probably some steam | blasting out of the valve. It is nice to have that blast directed somewhere | it does minimal damage and where you can get to the heater to shut it off. | | Don Young

IS IT POSSIBLE TO CONNECT COPPER PIPE (FROM TPR VALVE) DIRECTLY TO HOUSE DRAIN.

thanks the sagacious dolt

[marc1952]

[Jeff Wisnia]

They do make little automatic electric drain pumps for situations like yours.

You undo the piping to the heater, drain the tank and ask a friend to help you lift it so you can lip the pan under it. Probably doesn't matter much whether the pan is above or below the sleepers if those sleepers don't stick out beyond the periphery of the bottom of the heater. The pan itself will be thin enough so the piping should go back in place without requiring any changes.

Jeff

[Don Young]

Codes generally require an air gap and trap for connecting to the sanitary drain and may not permit T&P valves to be so connected. Ask your local code enforcement office. The best thing is to run a pipe, no smaller than the valve outlet, to somewhere outside the house foundation.

Don Young