Life expectancy of relief valve?

mtfallsmikey

Replace it. Highly unlikely that it will hold again once it discharges. Find cause and fix.

Gene Davis_3

We've an electric boiler (yes, the rates are ridiculously low) that has been in service since 2000. It is heating our whole house, 3000 sf, combination of in-slab tubing and staple-up underfloor.

At the top left corner of the unit, an E-F-M EB4-30, a line, maybe 3/4" size, exits the housing, is connected to what appears to be a safety relief valve, the a line is piped from that valve and ends, open and plain, about 12" off the boiler room floor.

The safety relief valve has a tag on it that says "Conbraco Industries" and the tag gives installation instructions. Everything about the installation looks to be in accord with the instructions.

For a couple days now, the line has been discharging water at a slow trickle, maybe amounting to 1/2 gallon per hour. The trickle is unsteady.

We are in the heating season here (upstate NY's Adirondack mountains) and have been since last October.

Are we due for a valve replacement? Will that be the solution?

hydronx_3

What does the pressure gauge for the system show? If it is close to 30 psi or whatever the relief valv is set at your problem may not be the valve but something else.

Glen

steveex

After 8 years it would be wise to replace as follows, relief valve, expansion tank and the fill valve.

[Deleted User]

what do you mean the rates are rediculously low?

Gene Davis_3

Our electric rates are such that many people use electric boiler systems with radiant, or just have electric resistance baseboard heat throughout.

No one has air conditioning here in their homes. There is no natural gas available, and oil and LP are used, but all-electric predominates.

Low means somewhere in the 3.5 cents to 4.4 cents range.

Bruce M

Flush the valve

Those valves need to be flushed once a year. Put a pail under the opening and slowly lift the handle being careful not to get burnt from the discharge of hot water. If you open and close it a few times you may see a rusty discharge and some rust or debris may be clogging the valve. Make sure to wear safety glasses.