Water Heater Pressure Relief Valve Discharge Pipe

This is to prevent a potentially catastrophic failure.

Water heater pressure relief valve discharge pipe.

Building codes require temperature pressure relief tpr valves with discharge pipes on all new water heater installations. Scalding water and steam escape the tank through the valve and tube to relieve the pressure. An air gap eliminates the possibility of backflow from the drain into the discharge piping. Tprs are designed to automatically release water in the event that pressure or temperature in the water tank exceeds safe levels.

If the pressure in the tank exceeds 150 psi or the temperature exceeds 210 degrees fahrenheit the tpr valve opens to release the pressure. Just image the power that can be generated when the water starts to boil inside the tank. 1 the discharge pipe cannot be directly connected to the home s plumbing drainage system but an air gap located in the same room as the water heater can used to connect to the drainage system.