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Water Heater Check Valves

Most water heaters that I install come with check valves on the cold water nipple to prevent thermosiphon.  I always take them out because they tend to cause harmonics in the piping that drives my customers nuts.



It seems like a good idea except for the performance failure of the component.



What do you guys do? 
8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab

Comments

  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,418
    If the piping.....

    is insulated a thermosiphon is not a bad thing.... most all my customers like getting hot water faster...
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,272
    Some of...

    ... the newer heat traps have rubber flaps instead of the noisy/evil little balls that older heat traps had.  The new style is quiet.  The old way of getting there is to form a loop using fittings or a long flex line to make a non-mechanical heat trap.  It's really quiet!



    Yours,  Larry
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 2,761
    edited April 2010
    Never seen a check...

    Is that a California code ? I never seen one come with a hot water heater .
    I have enough experience to know , that I dont know it all
  • EricAune
    EricAune Member Posts: 432
    Big Ed

    They are integral to the cold inlet nipple.  Any water heater with nipples already installed or packaged with the water heater most likely has them.
    "If you don't like change, your going to like irrelevance even less"
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 2,761
    Check

    Is the check a new Federal conservation code ?
    I have enough experience to know , that I dont know it all
This discussion has been closed.