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This article describes Water Tank Pressure Relief Valve - how to find or where to install them. Readers of this document should also see Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost an specific case which offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost.

© 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

WATER TANK PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE

Safety warning: all pressurized tanks should have an appropriate pressure relief valve installed to avoid possible injury should the tank burst. In this photo the brass fitting to the right of the black tank drain is a pressure relief valve installed in the correct location. Notice that there is no shutoff valve of any kind installed between the relief valve and the pressure tank? If the pressure relief valve is leaking this is an UNSAFE condition (corrosion or mineral deposits could block the valve and prevent its operation in an emergency). The valve should be replaced.

Early in our building inspection career plumbers in our area were skeptical when we identified the absence of a pressure relief valve as a safety concern (and a building or plumbing code violation). Then in about 1984 a local plumber was killed by a bursting water pressure tank.

The water pump was a submersible unit located (remotely) inside of the water well. The plumber was leaning over the water tank repairing a fitting, unaware that the water pump had turned on, and unaware that the pressure control switch had been damaged or modified so that it failed to turn off the water pump at a safe pressure.

The water tank burst, metal fragments severely injured the plumber who, working alone, bled to death. After that terrible event all of our local plumbers took this relief valve requirement seriously.

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PLUMBING TOPICS
OIL & GAS PIPING
OIL TANKS
SEPTIC SYSTEMS
WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS GUIDE
WATER PRESSURE & FLOW MEASUREMENT
WATER PUMPS & TANKS
WATER PUMP CONTROLS
  IDENTIFY WELL PUMP TANK COMPONENTS
  MAIN WATER SHUTOFF VALVE
  WATER PUMP ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
  WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT
  WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL REPAIR
  WATER PRESSURE REGULATOR ADJUST
  WATER PUMP RELAY SWITCH
  WATER TANK AIR VOLUME CONTROLS
  WATER TANK AIR INLET VALVE
  WATER TANK PRESSURE GAUGE
  WATER TANK DRAIN VALVE
  WATER TANK RELIEF VALVE
  CHECK VALVES
  WATER FILTERS
WATER PUMP REPAIRS & COSTS
  WATER PUMP SHORT CYCLING
  SHORT CYCLING DETECTION
  WATER PUMP SHORT CYCLING PUMP CAUSES
  WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT
  WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL REPAIR
  WATER PRESSURE REGULATOR ADJUST
  WATER PUMP & TANK SAFETY
WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING
WATER TANK REPAIRS & COSTS
WATER TANKS HOW THEY WORK
WATER PUMP, TANK & WELL REPAIRS
WATER TANK AIR LOSS SIGNS
WATER TANK AIR, HOW TO ADD
  WATER TANK AIR VOLUME CONTROLS
  WATER TANK AIR ADD AT AIR VALVE
  WATER TANK AIR ADD BY DRAINING
  WATER TANK AIR HOW MUCH TO ADD
  WATER TANK AIR HOW OFTEN TO ADD
  CAPTIVE AIR BLADDER WATER TANKS
  STEEL WATER TANKS
  BIG WATER STORAGE TANKS
  OPEN WATER TANKS\
WATER TANK REPLACEMENT
WATER TESTING
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES
WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS
WELL, PUMP, TANK LIFE

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