Main water supply leaking

[mreber]

I just discovered a dripping leak from the main water supply into my house. Above the pressure regulator, the supply line has a "T" connection. This then has another "T" and a short piece of open pipe that hangs down (refer to picture). I don't know much about plumbing...is this some sort of pressure relief? I just noticed this section of pipe dripping, pretty steadily. I put a bucket under it for the night so I'm interested to see how much is in there in the morning. Any ideas what this is, and how to fix it? Thanks!

 

[havasu]

The pic is blurry but it looks like a Temperature Pressure Relief Valve (TPR valve). You can easily replace with some teflon tape and a pipe wrench.

 

[mreber]

Isn't a TPR valve usually found on a water heater? Again, I'm no expert, this is just what google tells me.

The pipe in the picture is coming directly from the city supply line. This is before the pipe goes to my water heater.

I'll look again at the T connection above the leak, but there wasn't much written on it saying what it may be.

 

[johnjh2o]

It's a pressure relief valve. Similar to a T&P valve except it works on just pressure not temperature. The leak could be from one of two reasons. The relief valve could be bad or the pressure regulator has failed. If it has failed then the relief valve is doing it's job. Check the pressure with a gauge if it is over 80 PSI then the pressure reducing valve has failed and should be repaired or replaced. In most cases replacement is the best option.

John

 

[mreber]

Thanks for the help. I've been doing some research and talking to guys at work, and we've kind of come to the same conclusion. It looks like Home Depot and Lowes sell pressure gauges that you can screw on to the end of your hose bib. I guess I'll use that as a starting point to figure out what is bad. It sounds like 50 psi is normal house water pressure???

 

[mreber]

Just out of curiosity, does one typically fail first...the pressure regulator or pressure relief valve?

 

[bhamiltonjr]

What it looks like is an "Expansion Valve" which works like a pressure relief valve allowing water to blow off there. You should replace with another one. You can put a Hose bib on there but then you risk expansion in the plumbing system and if your pressure regulator ever fails then you will have high pressure in your pluming system possibley cause something else to go bad.