Pressure Relief Valve question

Rodney Summers

i looked on the floor today and saw a little drop of water coming from the boilers Pressure Relief Valve is this normal for it to pop once and a while i will clean it up and see if it dose it again tomorrow

thank you

hr

Dripless in Seattle

No, they should not pop without a reason. Determine if the pressure went to or above the valve setting. Could be a bad fill valve, a water logged expansion tank, burner stuck on, to name a few causes.


For sure replace the valve. Fairly inexpensive considering the job they do.

hot rod

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Rodney Summers

fill valve you mean the regulator after the backflow preventer that fills the boiler

that sucks now i have to drain the boiler for one prv ;-)

how can i tell if the expansion tank is water loged. i have a pro comeing in this week to clean and service my burner

thank you

Rodney Summers

this happened last year but thought nothing of it

Cosmo_3

He meant the relief valve Rooster. Buy yourself a water pressure gauge with a "lazy" hand and garden hose connection. Install on the boiler drain, turn on the boiler drain. You are now reading boiler pressure, then turn the "lazy" hand against the pressure indicator and let it go for a night. The next morning the "lazy" hand will indicate the highest pressure the gauge read during your absence. Also a good way to check the pressure gauge installed on the boiler, sometimes the gauge is off calibration and needs to be replaced.


Cosmo Valavanis

Dependable P.H.C. Inc.

Rodney Summers

thanks Cosmo i will buy one tomorrow and see what happens

Cosmo_3

CAUTION

If you replace the relief valve make sure you buy the correct replacement, 30PSI for a hot water boiler. To check the expansion tank: start w/ a cold boiler, note water pressure. Start burner and let boiler warm up if the pressure goes up more than a couple PSI then either you have a leaking air bladder on your exp tank, or it is not sized big enough. Maybe the exp tank was not set up Also good to check the air PSI in the expansion tank (at the bike-type air valve) w/ zero water PSI in the boiler. This should be at the same pressure as your boiler pressure under normal conditions. 12-15 PSI should be good enough.


Cosmo Valavanis

Dependable P.H.C. Inc.