Nberry
New Member
Water heater TP relief valve started opening and releasing water a couple months ago. After trying 2 new valves, installing a thermal expansion tank, and putting an insulating blanket on the water heater, the relief valve is still opening and draining water periodically (enough to fill 5 gallon bucket every 2-3 days). Same plumber has done all the work. The water heater is relatively new (installed about 1 1/2 years ago and covered by home warranty company). Pressure gauge reading on a water spigot outside basement where water heater is reads 110-120 psi, which is up from about 100psi when the problem first started. The leaking stopped for about a month after the thermal expansion tank was installed. The plumber now thinks the pressure regulator on the house is bad and will be about a $350-400 fix. Does that diagnosis sound correct? And if so is that a fair price? Could anything else be causing the relief valve to open? Could it be a problem with the water heater itself? The home warranty company paid for the hot water heater replacement, but they don't cover pressure regulators on the main house line. We're trying to see if its a water heater defect which the home warranty company will pay for, or if the pressure regulator is actually bad. I turned the pressure down on the pressure regulator which decreased the pressure to the faucets, showers, etc. but the relief valve still leaks. Thanks.