Advice needed from plumbers/ handy people re water heater

[musiclawyer]

My traditonal water heater is about 7 years old now. It sits in the garage. On the outside garage wall adjacent to where the water heater sits, there is copper pipe that presumably comes from the water heater and directs water or condensation down to the ground. Normally it would be just be an occassional trickle of water. Sometimes nothing at all. But lately, the pipe is practically dripping with warm water all the time. This is new and it ostensibly not good. What is my problem and how expensive is the fix?

[Stinky The Clown]

1. It sounds like the pressure relief valve .....

.... but not seeing it makes this a pure guess.

If that's what it is, the valve can be replaced by a plumber for little more than the cost of his time.

The worst this can mean is a new water heater ..... and they're not **that** expensive and they're easy for a plumber to install. We had a 60 gallon electric one replaced in our renatl property a year or so ago. It was under $700 for labor and the heater itself.

[musiclawyer]

2. Thanks

[jschurchin]

3. Husb2 is correct although

there are a couple other things that can be causing your problem. Check near your water meter and see if you have a pressure regulator. It will look like a bell with a screw coming out of the top of it. If it is going bad it will slowly allow the pressure in your system to build until it reaches the limit of the relief valve, usually 140psi. Also check to see if you have a expansion tank, it looks like a small beer barrel and will be connected to your cold water line somewhere in the vicinity of the hot water tank. When they go bad they also cause the limit of the relief valve to be reached.

I agree with Husb2, without seeing it, it's hard to be sure what the cause is.

A pressure regulator is about $250 installed, an expansion tank, around $150.

Good luck.

[lumberjack_jeff]

4. Agree with other advice

I would add that now is probably a good time to replace the anode rods in the tank.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_central/home_clinic/1275406.html