Your water heater has a lot of different parts that work together to provide your home with a steady supply of warm water. If one or more of those parts fails to do its job, then it can significantly undermine the creation or delivery of that hot water.
So what part are we hoping to draw your attention to? The safety valve of your water heater in Tampa is highly important and often overlooked. Let’s look at what this part of your water heater does and why you need to pay attention to it.
What is the water heater safety valve?
You need a working water heater safety valve to allow your system to work unobstructed. This component is also known as the pressure relief valve. Its primary function is to give pressure relief if the pressure in your water heater goes above the usual limit (about 100psi). This can help prevent that pressure from creating even more severe damage to the system later on.
What the water heater safety valve/pressure relief valve does
What happens when you boil a pot of water with a lid on it? Eventually, the boiling water and steam create enough pressure to push water out from around the lid on top of the pot. And if that lid is immovable, well, you’ll likely be cleaning up a lot of extra water from your floor, stove, and ceiling because eventually, the pressure will get strong enough to FORCE that lid to move.
The pressure relief valve of your water heater is meant to help prevent the problems created by too much pressure building up in your water heater. If too much pressure from hot water and the steam it creates builds up in your water heater, this valve allows some of that water and steam to escape from the system, preventing a tank burst that could leave you with a flooded home and no working water heater.
What happens when the safety valve encounters trouble?
Much like any component of your home system, the pressure relief valve/ safety valve of your water heater can encounter trouble. Perhaps you have an older water heater and the valve has gotten stuck shut due to corrosion or scaling sealing it closed.
We advise making sure that this valve is checked on a semi-regular basis in order to prevent complications from a stuck valve. You can make a habit of checking the valve every once in a while or you can make things easier on yourself by talking to a plumbing technician and scheduling maintenance for your water heater. That technician will know exactly what to look for and can provide upkeep for your water than includes and goes beyond just checking the valve.
Come to IERNA’s for expert assistance
Whether you need water heater maintenance, repairs, or a replacement, you can come to our team to get the job done. We have the tools, experience, and training to handle your system services properly.
Schedule your water heater maintenance or repairs with IERNA’s Heating & Cooling. We always work to exceed customer expectations.