Water heater relief valve plugged?

[gtmeloney]

We bought a condo three years ago. This is the water heater that was installed. I think the pressure relief valve is capped with a T-fitting for the gas line. This doesn't make sense to me. Can anyone help me out with this?

The manufacture date on the heater is 2004. I'm replacing it soon but I'm curious as to what this is.

 

[gtmeloney]

This must be what I have:http://www.watts.com/pages/_products_details.asp?pid=3435

This makes sense now. I'm interested in how this works.

 

[phishfood]

I have never seen this before.
Thanks for the education.

 

[Mr_David]

That is a high temperature gas shut off.
This is used when the heater was installed in a location that prevents you from running a relief drain to the out side of building or to an approved drain.

The more common Temperature and pressure relief valve has a dual function.

This one only shuts off the gas if the water gets to hot, but does not dump the pressure.

Should also be a pressure relief valve installed out side ,probably on a hose bib.
Check for one if you don't have you need to install a pressure relief valve

 

[Mr_David]

This must be what I have:http://www.watts.com/pages/_products_details.asp?pid=3435
.

Read the installation instruction found on your link.
Especially the WARNING on page 2

 

[gtmeloney]

Thanks for the replies!

We do have a pressure relief valve on a hose bib on the outside of the building. This heater is in a location where it cannot be drained, so this all makes sense.

 

[gtmeloney]

I know this will depend on my local plumbing code, but in general, what would it take to re-plumb the utility closet that houses my water heater and washer/dryer? I would want to install a new drain in the floor of the utility closet that ties into the existing washing machine drain. This would allow for the water heater to drain via a standard T&P relief valve and it would allow the water to drain if the washing machine were to ever fail and dump water.

Thanks!

 

[frodo]

I do not like that thing at all.

the reason i do not like it is, the remote pressure relief valve. If a homeowner did not know what it is.
As prooved by 2 owners in this thread. it would be very easy to disgard the relief valve. as a not needed "what he hell is this"
there by making the heater a time bomb. imo not a good design at all

 

[Mr_David]

I do not recommend installing a floor drain which is connected to the sewer and laundry drain . If you get a stoppage it can back up out of the floor drain.
If you can run a drain under the house to the out side, Do that.
here we can run the T&P drain to the laundry stand pipe as long as there is an air gap between the T&P drain and the stand pipe and the drain has fall all the way from the T&P to it's outlet end

 

[gtmeloney]

Ok, thanks. I cannot run any new drains. We're in an upstairs unit and that just won't happen. So no floor drain but I might be able to run the T&P to the stand pipe with an air gap?

This heater is in a closet next to the washer and dryer. The floor of the closet has a metal pan in it, and there is a small hole in the center of the pan, probably about the diameter of a pencil. I would assume that this is a drain, but I'm not sure. I will investigate to see if I can find if that is actually a piped drain, or if it is just a hole that will route water onto the ceiling below.

 

[Mr_David]

laundry drain stand pipe is it exposed on the wall. we make and air gap bye adding a wve fitting to the top. stick your washer hose into the wye branch and terminate the T&P drain just inside the top opening of the wye.
Sticking the T&P drain into just the standpipe is not good because the stoppage will submerge the outlet end of T&P drain in waste water.
Using a WYE, If the drain backs up it will spill out the branch of wye and cannot reach the end of the T&P drain.

 

[journeyman]

it is a watts 210 valve and u should have a watts 111 valve to go with it the 111 goes out side to relieve pressure the 210 cuts off the gas if the temp gets to high. these are used if you cannot get a t and p drain to the outside or if tank is inside of a house

 

[gtmeloney]

Thanks everyone. I wound up installing an extended shank Watts 210 as the standard 210 didn't fit in my new heater. Thanks for the input on this.