Performance Inspections

The TPR (Temperature and Pressure Relief) valve is located on the top or side of the water heater.  It's purpose is to relieve pressure in the event that the thermostat jams and the water heater overheats.  Several problems can result from a faulty TPR valve:

• The valve can develop a leak.  As they age, the rubber seal can become stiff and brittle.  If you see water seeping from the discharge tube then the valve is leaking.  It should be replaced by a qualified plumber.
• The valve can fail completely and water gushes from the discharge tube.  The water will likely be hot, so extreme caution is advised.  Immediately turn off the cold water valve to the heater and turn off the gas or electric power.  Have the valve replaced by a qualified plumber.

Note the lack of a discharge tube in the valve in the photo at the lower right.  If the valve opens or leaks then hot water will be dumped into the house, attic, or garage where the heater is located.  All TPR valves should have a discharge tube that terminates outside the house or into a suitable approved drain receptacle. 

If the valve leaks, why not just plug it and forget about it?  That's a really BAD idea.  The amount of energy contained in 50 gallons of superheated water is tremendous and equal to several sticks of dynamite.  If all that energy is released at once, mass destruction and injury can occur.

The Discovery Channel Mythbusters TV show recently had an episode with a segment on what happens if the TPR valve is blocked and the water heater thermostat jams in the on position.  It's very dramatic and a great example of why a properly functioning TPR valve and discharge tube is essential.  Watch here.

At least 2/3rds of my clients will ask this question (or some variant of it) during the inspection. I never give any answer other than something like: "That's not for me to decide, only you can make that decision. I've done my best to give you the facts about this house."

Why am I so reluctant to make a recommendation? Simply because I don't know your intentions about this house and I don't know you well enough to make those kinds of recommendations. Let me elaborate.

Your intentions for the house have significant bearing on the buying decision. Perhaps you plan to live in the house till a ripe old age. Perhaps you will live here a few years before moving to someplace else in the country. Perhaps you intend to remodel the house and flip it. Perhaps you intend the house as a rental investment. All these different intentions can lead to different levels of investment you may make into a new (for you) residence.

Next: I don't know you and what your talents/desires are. I've worked with buyers who are cracker-jack handymen or are pros in one or more areas of home improvement. I recently did an inspection for a fellow who owned a roofing company and was going to put a new roof on the house no matter what the condition of the old one was. I did an inspection for a young couple on a house that had lots of issues in most of the home's systems. During our after-inspection discussion I learned that Dad was an electrician, the brother was a drywall installer, the brother-in-law was a plumber, and the young buyer was a painter. So in the family they had most of the bases covered. Conversly, I've done inspections for folks who are reluctant to change a cover plate on a light switch.

Lastly, I don't know how much you are paying for the house and there is no reason that I should know. Any particular house can be a great bargain or a terribly poor deal depending on the price.

All of these factors greatly effect how you look at a particular home and your expectations of what you are getting for your money. There is no way that I can learn your perspective in the short amount of time we spend together. All I can do is provide you with an objective presentation of the current status of the house to the best of my abilities. The rest is up to you and your Realtor.