Author Topic: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?  (Read 86355 times)

Offline stooges44

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2017
  • Posts: 6454
  • Total likes: 2749
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 269
    • View Profile
I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« on: October 17, 2017, 01:41:17 PM »
It seems there's no "plumbing help" thread so here's one and here's my question:

Just about 2 years ago I got a new water heater, everything was all fine and dandy.

About 6 months ago I redid one of my bathrooms, which until then was not really used that often, it was very old and the tub drained very, very slow. After the construction (new tub, new toilet, new sink but not new plumbing) we started using the bathroom daily.

At about the same time the bathroom was complete and now being used normally, the water heater relief valve started leaking (for lack of a better word, since it's not really a leak as it's designed to relieve the pressure if it gets to high) so I called up rheem and they sent me a replacement valve, I had it replaced and it still leaked :-( I called rheem again and this time they said I would need to install an expansion tank which is not covered under warranty. Not wanting to shell out the $400 my plumber wanted for that I just settled with the fact that I will empty the bucket I put there daily and live with it until I win the lottery.

Now here comes the fun part, we were away for the first days on succos through monday night, so were out of the house from wednesday afternoon through monday and obviously with nothing being used the bucket was empty when we returned but each day I checked I noticed it was still empty until this past sunday which is the first time we used the shower in the new bathroom since we returned (we were using the toilet immediately when we returned but not the shower). Based on this and the fact that it only initially started to leak after we redid the bathroom I blame the new shower entirely.

So what would be causing it and more importantly how can I fix it? What I find the most strange is if I did need an expansion tank why wouldn't it leak always regardless of what is being used? (we were using the other shower and had no problems, only when we used the new shower did it start to leak again)

If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Offline hachover

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Posts: 516
  • Total likes: 102
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2017, 02:15:12 PM »
Not a plumber, but as a DIY person I have a layman's guess to offer. What is the temperature setting on your water heater? If it's very high, then the temperature regulator installed near your shower valve could be the cause of the pressure and the reason the relief valve is dripping.

Try lowering the water heater dial to something close to 120 degrees and see if that puts a stop to the relief valve issue.
I'm an optimist; but only because life isn't going to give me any other good choices.

Offline stooges44

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2017
  • Posts: 6454
  • Total likes: 2749
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 269
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2017, 02:21:23 PM »
Not a plumber, but as a DIY person I have a layman's guess to offer. What is the temperature setting on your water heater? If it's very high, then the temperature regulator installed near your shower valve could be the cause of the pressure and the reason the relief valve is dripping.

Try lowering the water heater dial to something close to 120 degrees and see if that puts a stop to the relief valve issue.

Will try that later, thanks so much! I'll let you know
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Offline hachover

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Posts: 516
  • Total likes: 102
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2017, 03:19:45 PM »
Will try that later, thanks so much! I'll let you know

I hope it works. It's certainly harmless to test the theory out!
I'm an optimist; but only because life isn't going to give me any other good choices.

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2014
  • Posts: 6738
  • Total likes: 1097
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2017, 05:53:29 PM »
Is it the pressure release valve or the drain valve leaking?
I just found a new supply of forks!

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2014
  • Posts: 6738
  • Total likes: 1097
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2017, 06:42:22 PM »
So what would be causing it and more importantly how can I fix it? What I find the most strange is if I did need an expansion tank why wouldn't it leak always regardless of what is being used? (we were using the other shower and had no problems, only when we used the new shower did it start to leak again)
When you shower it requires the water to be heated. When the water is heated it expands. Also when ever you turn water on/off it creates a temporary increase in pressure.
I just found a new supply of forks!

Offline stooges44

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2017
  • Posts: 6454
  • Total likes: 2749
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 269
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2017, 08:13:41 PM »
When you shower it requires the water to be heated. When the water is heated it expands. Also when ever you turn water on/off it creates a temporary increase in pressure.

That I know. My question is why it only happens when ONE of the showers is used.

I hope it works. It's certainly harmless to test the theory out!

Just lowered it to 120, let's see what happens.
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2014
  • Posts: 6738
  • Total likes: 1097
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2017, 10:15:47 PM »
That I know. My question is why it only happens when ONE of the showers is used.
Is the plumbing correct for that shower. Is this shower closer to the water heater that the other shower? Do you hear any banging or pipe rattle when you turn the shower/washer/faucet off?
I just found a new supply of forks!

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2014
  • Posts: 6738
  • Total likes: 1097
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #8 on: October 19, 2017, 02:50:30 PM »
Any update?
I just found a new supply of forks!

Offline stooges44

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2017
  • Posts: 6454
  • Total likes: 2749
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 269
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2017, 02:57:32 PM »
Any update?

Not really, I wanted to wait a few days. After lowering the heater to 120 on Tuesday night, I still had some water (not a lot) in the bucket last night which I emptied and I'm waiting to see how it goes
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2014
  • Posts: 6738
  • Total likes: 1097
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #10 on: October 19, 2017, 03:02:22 PM »
Another thing you can try is shut off your water. Drain all the water at all faucets. Turn water back on.
I just found a new supply of forks!

Offline incendia

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2011
  • Posts: 1272
  • Total likes: 77
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 8
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #11 on: October 19, 2017, 06:07:55 PM »
Another thing you can try is shut off your water. Drain all the water at all faucets. Turn water back on.

Why would that help?

Offline hachover

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Posts: 516
  • Total likes: 102
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2017, 06:18:32 PM »
Why would that help?

Sounds like tech support. I guess the CS agent who gave the advice was reading from the computer help script instead of the plumbing help script.
I'm an optimist; but only because life isn't going to give me any other good choices.

Offline hachover

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Posts: 516
  • Total likes: 102
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2017, 06:21:06 PM »
Not really, I wanted to wait a few days. After lowering the heater to 120 on Tuesday night, I still had some water (not a lot) in the bucket last night which I emptied and I'm waiting to see how it goes

Do you have an access panel where the regulator was installed? The regulators that are common are adjustable between 90 degrees and 120 degrees. You want to make sure that its set to 120 and not lower. If you cant easily access it though, dont worry about it.
I'm an optimist; but only because life isn't going to give me any other good choices.

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2014
  • Posts: 6738
  • Total likes: 1097
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2017, 06:34:36 PM »
I just found a new supply of forks!

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2014
  • Posts: 6738
  • Total likes: 1097
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #15 on: October 19, 2017, 06:36:17 PM »
Sounds like tech support. I guess the CS agent who gave the advice was reading from the computer help script instead of the plumbing help script.
...or maybe this CS agent new what she was talking about.  :P
I just found a new supply of forks!

Offline ckmk47

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Aug 2012
  • Posts: 7961
  • Total likes: 1044
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Location: brooklyn
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #16 on: October 19, 2017, 07:13:55 PM »
Sounds like tech support. I guess the CS agent who gave the advice was reading from the computer help script instead of the plumbing help script.
;D
My favorite cause: cssy.org

Offline stooges44

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2017
  • Posts: 6454
  • Total likes: 2749
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 269
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #17 on: October 19, 2017, 07:26:58 PM »
So far so good, bucket is still empty. Woo Hoo!
If it's not free shipping it's not worth it.

Offline ChaimMoskowitz

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2014
  • Posts: 6738
  • Total likes: 1097
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #18 on: October 19, 2017, 07:31:03 PM »
So far so good, bucket is still empty. Woo Hoo!
Great!
I just found a new supply of forks!

Offline hachover

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Posts: 516
  • Total likes: 102
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: I need Plumbing Help... Any plumbers out there?
« Reply #19 on: October 22, 2017, 12:06:49 PM »
So far so good, bucket is still empty. Woo Hoo!

Fantastic. If its safe to assume that you've found the source of the problem, then you have at least a few options:

1) Leave the hot water temperature down at 120. This might mean you'll run out of hot water more often than you'd like though
2) Leave the hot water temperature at 120 most of the time, but turn it up on Friday mornings or on laundry day, etc. Theres a big nuisance factor here
3) Turn up the hot water temperature and resign yourself to emptying buckets. Nuisance as well
4) Bypass the temperature regulator behind your shower. Depending on where you live, this may violate code, and if so I dont recommend it. A plumber can take a look and tell you what options you have within code, as some regulators work differently than others and you may be able to get a different kind that doesnt cause expansion as frequently.
I'm an optimist; but only because life isn't going to give me any other good choices.