relief valve pipe

saltysenior · 01-09-2010, 10:56 PM

when a house is built ,where does the relieve valve pipe [that goes into the wall] go to ???? i'm down in fl. and every thing is on a slab..

**waterwelldude** · 01-10-2010, 02:38 AM

Most new houses have the pop off valve going to the outside of the house.
That way you know if there is a problem.
I have seen some routed into the septic system or waste water line for city waste.
The better homes have it vented to the outside of the home.

Travis

**Nailer341** · 01-10-2010, 04:33 AM

Are you talking about the temp. and pressure relief valve from the water heater?
If so, generally it is run to the outside of the house and 90'd down stopping 6" from the ground.

In some light commercial applications you will find it routed to a floor sink near the water heater.

CPC 2007

Quote:

608.4 Each pressure relief valve shall be an
approved automatic type with drain, and each such
relief valve shall be set at a pressure of not more than
one hundred fifty (150) pounds per square inch (1035
kPa). No shutoff valve shall be installed between the
relief valve and the system or in the drain line.
608.5 Relief valves located inside a building shall be
provided with a drain, not smaller than the relief
valve outlet, of galvanized steel, hard-drawn copper
piping and fittings, CPVC, or listed relief valve drain
tube with fittings that will not reduce the internal
bore of the pipe or tubing (straight lengths as
opposed to coils) and shall extend from the valve to
the outside of the building, with the end of the pipe
not more than two (2) feet (610 mm) nor less than six
(6) inches (152 mm) above the ground or the flood
level of the area receiving the discharge and pointing
downward. Such drains may terminate at other
approved locations. Relief valve drains shall not
terminate in a building’s crawl space. No part of
such drain pipe shall be trapped or subject to
freezing. The terminal end of the drain pipe shall not
be threaded.
608.6 Any water-heating device connected to a
separate storage tank and having valves between
said heater and tank shall be provided with an
approved water pressure relief valve.
608.7 Vacuum Relief Valves. Where a hot-water
storage tank or an indirect water heater is located at
an elevation above the fixture outlets in the hotwater
system, a vacuum relief valve shall be installed
on the storage tank or heater.

saltysenior · 01-10-2010, 02:09 PM

the relief pipe must drain into the waste water.....i know the relief valve on the new water heater is dripping.....it was hooked up to the pipe commin out of the wall that the old water heater's relief valve was hooked to.....after 2 weeks no water is showing up anywhere so i guess it goes into the waste water drain...

**majakdragon** · 01-10-2010, 02:27 PM

When I worked in Florida (Ocala), the code required the T/P valve to be piped outside the house to a French drain. The drain was a minimum of 6" PVC pipe, with 18" of stone inside it. The pipe from the T/P had a tee on the end with the openings verticle in position. One end went into the drain pipe and the other was left open so the home owner could easily see if the T/P was fully opened or had a small flow from a leak.

**phishfood** · 01-22-2010, 01:29 AM

These days, in FL you can drip the relief line into the heater pan. I don't like it, but that is the way almost all new construction is done here.

Houses such as yours, with the piping leading into the wall, will be turned up above the ground, and then back down pointing at the ground. Imagine what the shortest path to get it out of the foundation would be, and look there. House plumbers tend to be a lazy bunch.

01-10-2010, 02:27 PM	#5
majakdragon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 182	When I worked in Florida (Ocala), the code required the T/P valve to be piped outside the house to a French drain. The drain was a minimum of 6" PVC pipe, with 18" of stone inside it. The pipe from the T/P had a tee on the end with the openings verticle in position. One end went into the drain pipe and the other was left open so the home owner could easily see if the T/P was fully opened or had a small flow from a leak. __________________ If you have never made a mistake, you probably haven't done much.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

01-10-2010, 02:38 AM	#2
waterwelldude Water well,and septic guy Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: S.E.Texas Posts: 53	Most new houses have the pop off valve going to the outside of the house. That way you know if there is a problem. I have seen some routed into the septic system or waste water line for city waste. The better homes have it vented to the outside of the home. Travis

01-10-2010, 02:09 PM	#4
saltysenior Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 2	the relief pipe must drain into the waste water.....i know the relief valve on the new water heater is dripping.....it was hooked up to the pipe commin out of the wall that the old water heater's relief valve was hooked to.....after 2 weeks no water is showing up anywhere so i guess it goes into the waste water drain...

01-22-2010, 01:29 AM	#6
phishfood Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 406	These days, in FL you can drip the relief line into the heater pan. I don't like it, but that is the way almost all new construction is done here. Houses such as yours, with the piping leading into the wall, will be turned up above the ground, and then back down pointing at the ground. Imagine what the shortest path to get it out of the foundation would be, and look there. House plumbers tend to be a lazy bunch.