A mandatory element of connection to the cold water pipe is a safety valve
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:29 am
This small-sized, fairly simple-design device plays a key role in ensuring the safe operation of the water heater.
Typically, such a valve is a structure of two cylinders located perpendicular to each other.
The cylinder with the threaded part contains a plate check valve that prevents water from flowing out of the boiler into the cold main when the pressure in it drops.
In the other, there is also a plate valve, but with a more powerful spring, which is triggered when the pressure in the boiler exceeds the maximum permissible value. At the same time, a drainage pipe opens, through which excess liquid is discharged, thereby equalizing the pressure in the water heater. It may also have a handle for forced opening of the valve - it can be useful for draining water from the tank during preventive maintenance.
To better explain the importance of this device, it is better to look at a few examples:
The absence of a check valve can lead to the qatar mobile database situation. When the water in the boiler is heated, the pressure in it increases. Sooner or later, a moment arises when it exceeds the pressure in the cold pipe, and a reverse flow of already heated water begins to flow through it - it can appear when the "cold" mixer tap is opened or end up in the toilet cistern.
It is even worse if for some reason the pressure in the cold water supply system disappears altogether (for example, repair work is being carried out on the main line). The hot water from the boiler will simply go into the pipe, and the heating element will heat the empty tank, which will lead to both the heating element failure and cracking of the enamel. Of course, this should be prevented by the automatic power supply shutdown system in case of overheating, but you cannot rely on it alone.
However, even installing a regular check valve does not solve the entire safety problem. On the contrary, if you install only it, you can cause catastrophic consequences - and such "craftsmen" are still found! A banal thermostat failure in this case creates an explosive situation. The temperature in the tank rises, the pressure increases, but the water does not boil in a closed space. But if only a way out appears - a crack in the tank or someone opening a tap, the pressure drop will lead to an instant boiling of water with huge steam formation and a powerful explosion.
Typically, such a valve is a structure of two cylinders located perpendicular to each other.
The cylinder with the threaded part contains a plate check valve that prevents water from flowing out of the boiler into the cold main when the pressure in it drops.
In the other, there is also a plate valve, but with a more powerful spring, which is triggered when the pressure in the boiler exceeds the maximum permissible value. At the same time, a drainage pipe opens, through which excess liquid is discharged, thereby equalizing the pressure in the water heater. It may also have a handle for forced opening of the valve - it can be useful for draining water from the tank during preventive maintenance.
To better explain the importance of this device, it is better to look at a few examples:
The absence of a check valve can lead to the qatar mobile database situation. When the water in the boiler is heated, the pressure in it increases. Sooner or later, a moment arises when it exceeds the pressure in the cold pipe, and a reverse flow of already heated water begins to flow through it - it can appear when the "cold" mixer tap is opened or end up in the toilet cistern.
It is even worse if for some reason the pressure in the cold water supply system disappears altogether (for example, repair work is being carried out on the main line). The hot water from the boiler will simply go into the pipe, and the heating element will heat the empty tank, which will lead to both the heating element failure and cracking of the enamel. Of course, this should be prevented by the automatic power supply shutdown system in case of overheating, but you cannot rely on it alone.
However, even installing a regular check valve does not solve the entire safety problem. On the contrary, if you install only it, you can cause catastrophic consequences - and such "craftsmen" are still found! A banal thermostat failure in this case creates an explosive situation. The temperature in the tank rises, the pressure increases, but the water does not boil in a closed space. But if only a way out appears - a crack in the tank or someone opening a tap, the pressure drop will lead to an instant boiling of water with huge steam formation and a powerful explosion.