How to Check a Pressure Relief Valve

Every home water heater is required to have a pressure relief system, one form of which is the pressure relief valve. There are also pressure relief valves installed on industrial piping systems and radiator heat systems in homes. The pressure relief valve should be checked at least annually to ensure that it is functioning properly. Each valve has a specific pressure reading that must be maintained in order for the system to perform as it should.

Instructions

1. Locate the pressure relief valve. In a home water heater, it is connected to the overflow pipe which runs from the top of the water heater to the floor drain pan. It is an open-ended pipe--the only open pipe coming off of the water heater. In industrial system, it may be located anywhere along the pipe system; there is usually one on every floor.

2. Read the dial which is located on the top of the pressure relief system. Usually, this is a needle dial, but in some cases it may be a floating dial system. Either way, the dial will give you a reading that relates to the pressure level.

3. Check this pressure level reading against the suggested level for the system, which is located in your system logs or maintenance schedule. For home heating systems, this is 80 psi (pounds per square inch).

References

• Factsfacts: Pressure Relief Valves
• Bellgossett: Multi-floor Water Heating Systems