Need to replace drain for T&P valve & other water heater issues

[Zanne]

Hi all, you may or may not remember this thread I started years ago about my water heater https://www.plumbingforums.com/threads/multiple-questions-about-water-heater.7703/

For those who don't want to read it, it was determined that the drain for the T&P valve is a code violation. It reduces from 3/4" to 1/4" and goes off on a twisty path to an unknown egress. The termination point is not visible.

IIRC the water heater was installed in 2001 or 2002. So it's been awhile. Pretty sure the anode rod is toast. It has never been drained and never had the anode rod checked. It sits on a wooden platform on top of some sheet vinyl and I can't seem to get a hose on the drain near the bottom because it is so close to the floor of the closet.
It shares a closet and platform with the air handler. This is a rough drawing:

The cavity underneath the water heater is the air circulation compartment for the HVAC. The vent in the bedroom alcove will get moved to the left of the existing one in hallway.
This is an old photo to give a general idea of scale


Not sure how much longer this water heater will continue working so I'm looking at a possible replacement sometime in the next few years. I will try to get a sediment filter at that point since I'm on a well system. The water does get fairly hot but it takes its sweet time to reach the taps.

I would like to fix the T&P valve but am not quite sure how to go about doing it. This closet is sort of in the middle of the house so any replacement drain would have to be fairly long to get out from under the house. I don't want to have water enter the air circulation compartment so draining into it is not an option. Although, I'm considering adding some sort of floor drain inside of a pan/receptacle or under a clear container with a hole cut in it or something-- so I can see if water is coming out-- and running the drain pipe through the compartment and out from under the house. I was considering having it drain under the house where I could dig a trench/hole and fill it with drainage rocks. The ground is sandy loam so it absorbs water somewhat quickly.

I don't like the power cable that goes to the top of the water heater. It looks very thick and has paper wrapped around it. I think it's aluminium. I'd like to eventually replace it with copper (it runs from the attic so i could tether to the aluminium one and run pull it through. But I mostly want to focus on the T&P valve and drain.


I purchased something like this https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...ene-Side-Mount-Runoff-Tube-EB11955C/204834492 to replace the 1/4" copper. I'll have to measure height of the water heater and the valve and such to see how far that piece can run. I've been told the bottom part of that pipe can not have threads on it.

I also want to get a dry lift pan to put under the heater (although I may wait and put it under when I get a new heater) https://www.amazon.com/Tough-87093-Heater-Adapter-Diameter/dp/B016E4TWZY

I'm also trying to decide which sediment filter would be good and would not mess up the anode rod of a newer water heater. I'm sort of leaning toward getting a Rheem Gladiator because that is what seems to be available-- although the video ad for it is incredibly dramatic. Orchestra music and a little chorus singing thrown in. Sounds like combat scene music. LOL.


Is it going to yell "THIS IS SPARTA!" and kick the water into a pit? LOL.

Obviously if I went with one of those I would need to get the top mount T&P drain thingy-- although, can I add some horizontal pipe and an elbow for that?

Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

[Geofd]

I would at least make that t+p full size,it's very dangerous the way it is, pipe it to the floor for now until you have a solution ,if that relief valve ever dumps the way it's piped you will have much bigger problems we always pipe them in copper what you show
isn't code where I'm from, you can change the piping on the t+p just not the t+p without shutting the water off

 

[Zanne]

I've been told that the plastic is not to code in many places but it's used where I live. Water doesn't have to heat as much here because it rarely gets below freezing.

Since the water heater is in a closet in the middle of the house, I want to make sure that if it leaks/dumps that it won't be dumping water out onto the carpet or into the AC circulation compartment.

 

[Geofd]

The water temp has no bearing on outside temp if that water is hot enough it could soften or distort the plastic water temp should be 120° ,the relief pipe MUST be full size and I think there is a restriction direction
Changes

 

[Ludington]

Gladiators are nice, but extra electronics that seem to error a lot with sensing water leaks and shutting your water off. At leastvthats what I read. Stainless elements are good too. Just getting to hate the electronic crap that gives you headaches.

 

[Zanne]

Thanks Geof and Ludington. So, would it be a good idea to get an expansion tank? https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-2-gal-Thermal-Expansion-Tank-EF-TET-2T/304207414

Or would that just be more trouble?

I'm not thrilled with all the extra gadgets for a water heater that could fail and cause problems. Having a hard time finding one that doesn't have all the extra crap though. At least on the sites where I've been looking.

On the drain part, could I set up say a clear cheese balls container with a hole cut in the bottom as a vessel to prevent splashing with a floor drain embedded into it and then run the floor drain out from under the house near the condensate line's termination point?




I'd have the drain tube enter the container and be within 6" above the drain-- probably 3" or 4" above the drain if not closer. Assuming I could get my hands inside the container to secure the drain inside of it. Might even cut a hole in the lid and run the tube through it to make sure it doesn't splash out. The floor drain pipe would then pass down through the air circulation compartment, under the house, have a 90 sweep, and carry to the outside of the house where I'd have a hole filled with drainage rocks underneath.

 

[Geofd]

Smith or zurn make a brass funnel a couple of inches high that uses the same screw holes the cover plate does 2 or 3 of the holes anyway

 

[BlueSkyHigh]

Thanks Geof and Ludington. So, would it be a good idea to get an expansion tank? https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-2-gal-Thermal-Expansion-Tank-EF-TET-2T/304207414

Or would that just be more trouble?

I'm not thrilled with all the extra gadgets for a water heater that could fail and cause problems. Having a hard time finding one that doesn't have all the extra crap though. At least on the sites where I've been looking.

On the drain part, could I set up say a clear cheese balls container with a hole cut in the bottom as a vessel to prevent splashing with a floor drain embedded into it and then run the floor drain out from under the house near the condensate line's termination point?


View attachment 47331
View attachment 47332
I'd have the drain tube enter the container and be within 6" above the drain-- probably 3" or 4" above the drain if not closer. Assuming I could get my hands inside the container to secure the drain inside of it. Might even cut a hole in the lid and run the tube through it to make sure it doesn't splash out. The floor drain pipe would then pass down through the air circulation compartment, under the house, have a 90 sweep, and carry to the outside of the house where I'd have a hole filled with drainage rocks underneath.

Very creative and something I would come up with. I caution you to eat all the Cheese Balls beforehand.

 

[Geofd]

What is your water pressure,has it ever been an issue before???? Do you have a pressure regulating valve on your cold water main??????

 

[Zanne]

Geofd, I will absolutely devour those cheese balls. Love those things. Do you mean Smith or Zurn make some sort of floor drain with brass? I need to locate a decent but inexpensive one. I wonder if it would be ok to have it discharge under the house if there's ever a problem-- which may be unlikely given we don't heat our water too hot and our water pressure isn't very high. We have a jet pump with a 30/50 switch and a pressure tank that helps regulate the pressure after it leaves the pump. I should have mentioned we are on a well system. We've got a deep well pump that pushes air down a tube and causes water to bubble up into a cistern. I think it's at least 200 gallons if not more. From there we have a jet pump that pushes the water out of the cistern to the yard and house.

 

[Geofd]

If you put a piece of copper/steel maybe a 6" piece of pipe, put the copper inside of it maybe a 2"" nipple 6" long

 

[Geofd]

If you put a piece of copper/steel maybe a 6" piece of pipe, put the copper inside of it maybe a 2"" nipple 6" long

That "funnel" is not cheap I'm sure.....

 

[Zanne]

Yeah. I don't even think I can find that around here.