//Glossary
T&P relief valve
The temperature and pressure relief valve on a water heater. It opens automatically if the tank gets too hot or the pressure climbs too high, discharging water through a drain line so the tank cannot rupture.
Why is water coming out of the relief line?
Either the valve is doing its job because the pressure or temperature is genuinely high, or the valve itself has failed and is weeping. Both need a look. A relief valve that is capped, plugged or piped where it cannot drain safely is a safety problem, not a leak fix.
Guides that use this term
- › Signs your water heater is failing, and which ones mean replace
- › What a $150 water heater tune-up covers, and why sediment is the enemy
- › What to do in a plumbing emergency: shut off, stay safe, contain, call
- › Do you need a permit to replace a water heater?
- › What a plumbing inspector checks, and what happens if something fails
- › What happens if plumbing work is not permitted or not up to code
- › Bradford White water heaters: why they are the tank Done-Rite installs
- › The garage and the water heater closet: what lives there and what to watch
- › No hot water: the checks to make before you call, and what each result means
- › Repair or replace your water heater? The rule Done-Rite uses
- › Gas vs electric water heater repair: what fails on each and what the visit involves
Related terms
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