Forum Members:
I am brand new to this forum. Google Alerts notified me of this thread and I was very intrigued by the advice being given regarding the water heater and leaking TPR valve. I do not own an RV and will have to defer to your expertise there, but I do know water heaters and what makes them explode. My
www.WaterHeaterExplosions.com website archives many of the water heater and boiler explosions since 1850, yet I haven’t archived any RV explosions yet.
LEAKING TPR VALVES - A leaking TPR valve should be replaced, period! If you want to flip the testing lever a couple of times to reset the seat and stop the drip, that’s okay for an emergency. The leak shows evidence of corrosion and you need to replace the valve because you want it to work flawlessly when needed... Even smaller 5, 7, 10, and 12 gallon water heaters can destroy an RV.
ANNUAL TESTING - TPR manufacturers recommend at least annual testing. Instructions are on my site.
3 YEAR REMOVAL CYCLE - Manufacturers recommend professional removal and inspection of TPR valves at least every 3 years and replacement if corrosion is present. Documentation is on my site.
But why you would pay for removal and inspection is beyond me... For you guys it would just be easier to replace the valve at least every 3 years since you are shutting down, draining, winterizing, and then dewinterizing systems. Whereas homeowners just get lazy and never check their water heaters until their morning showers are cold.
Now maybe you can enlighten me to RV owner habits. Do you test the TPR valves regularly? Do you flush the water heaters regularly? Do you replace the anode rods regularly? I also run
www.Diptube.info which is dedicated to dip tube failures and anode rod replacement. Do you perceive the water heater explosion risks to be lesser and greater than residential water heaters? What else do I need to know when creating water heater related webpages for RV owners.
Thanks in advance!
Michael Leavitt - Master Inspector
Michael Leavitt & Co Inspections, Inc.
1145 N. Main Street
Orem, Utah 84057
801-636-6816
Michael@TheHomeInspector.com
www.TheHomeInspector.com
www.WaterHeaterExplosions.com
www.Diptube.info