Recently de-winterised house, 47 gallon electric water heater. Does it come as any surprise that the TPR was dripping water? Needless to say, I shut it off QUICKLY.
Did you bring any instant coffee with you?
Man thats hot hot hot!
WOW That is hot. What was the temperature set at.?
WOW That is hot. What was the temperature set at.?The temperature setting on the water heater.?
I didnt get too close and personal with the water heater at that time 
it obviously was turned way to high, near the point of catastrophic malfunction. I turned off the electricity, and ran the hot water out of the tank. It looked like the top heating element reset button was out, meaning the bottom was doing all the work. I did make a phone call to the listing agent warning them of the potential safety risk.
Actually, I am a little surprised. The TPR should hold tight until 210F, no?
Gee, going above the SOP…Some will not be happy! Me, I love it!
Michael just missed the instant hot coil under the sink guys.
Very Funny Bob…
I believe you are correct, this one was only dripping water, as opposed to being full open. The water was on for a day or so, No telling how high the water temp got up to. I seem to remember that a TPRV is never quite the same after its been over heated, and should simply be replaced.
My standard is simple: if there is a potential risk of life, health or property that can be avoided by turning off a breaker and making a phone call, I DO IT! 
Thanks.
“My standard is simple: if there is a potential risk of life, health or property that can be avoided by turning off a breaker and making a phone call, I DO IT! Thanks.”
Good for you!!
Michael - I for one, agree 100% with you and those things you did. Yet there are people here who would say the temp gun was above and beyond the SOP and you have no right turning th breaker off.
We each run our business the way we see fit. I applaud your findings and your actions.
The court is now in session. Judge NACHI, presiding.
Plaintiff’s attorney addressing the jury with his opening remarks:
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the court. Today, you will hear testimony of how my client paid ACME Winterization Inc. a sum of money to winterize her home to protect it from the elements. After having done this, a home inspector who was paid to simply observe and report the condition of the property, came across what he claimed to be a dangerous situation and without permission and in direct violation of his own agreement to comply with the standards of practice that he was contracted to perform, he performed an unauthorized and unsolicited service on my client’s water heater.
"Following his actions, certain pipes in the house that contained water froze and broke. When the lines were later opened, the broken pipes discharged quantities of water great enough to destroy my client’s home.
"Of course, when my client went to the people who winterized her home for recovery for her damages, she was told as to how they were not responsible for any damages caused by the actions of others who changed anything that they left behind. The inspector who made the unsolicited modifications, claiming that lives in the empty building were in immediate danger and there was no time to simply inform my client so that she could contact those that she had already hired to winterize the property, argues that he has no duty to the seller of the property and somehow has a right to take any actions within the homes he visits that he feels are appropriate…even when those actions do not fall within the standards of practice that his own industry has defined to be acceptable and prudent.
"You will hear testimony from the inspector who took it upon himself to perform an unauthorized and unsolicited service on my client’s water heating system that he did this as an act of ‘exceeding’ what he had actually been contracted to do by the potential buyer of my client’s home, as if his violation of his own industry standard of practice can be justified by his helpful intentions.
"The crux of my client’s case is quite simple for you to decide. You will be asked to decide whether or not a seller of a home has forfeited their rights to control the conditions of their own property simply by agreeing to have the buyer’s inspector enter it to observe and report conditions. Further, you will be asked to decide whether or not the person who enters the property of another and makes unsolicited modifications to the living conditions of that property should accept full financial responsibility for his actions when they result in damage and loss.
[In my own personal opinion, the water heater was not in danger of exploding. The temp was not high enough and the TPR valve was dripping at the time of my observation. There was time and opportunity to simply inform the owner (through the agent) so that their winterization contractor could come and finish the job that they were paid to do. There is no doubt that an E&O insurer would settle and I would be out my deductable, at a minimum. If I had no E&O, I would probably not be sued…but would likely suffer a damaged reputation through the local media, BBB and (if applicable) local licensing board. I would have immediately notified the agent of the scalding potential and left it to others to rectify.]
181°,I think I would have left it on and reported to every one as needing immediate service .
Where do you draw the line 121° is higher then the recommended 120°
How abou 141° I find this a lot.
Found one today at 140 degrees - with the landlord and tenant in attendance, I turned down the temp. All said “Thank you. We didn’t know it was that high and we wouldn’t know how to reduce it”. Did I do wrong, James. Don’t think so.
With the owner present and giving permission your scenario is totally different than what was presented in the first and subsequent posts. Just out of curiosity, why didn’t you flip the breaker and drain the unit?
Lowering the valve is not that bad.
I would notate it however and try to get word to the property owner.
Just keep a good record of things you do and why.
Wait a minute. What about the temp guns. Aren’t those beyond the “SOP”?
Michael - Seeing I have no vested interest in your company. I for one will not impose my self righteous beliefs on you. Since YOU own YOUR company, you did as you saw was right and applicable.
With people writing up “possible” scenarios lets go this way.
Your find the exact problem and do nothing but write it up. Seller and listing agent are NOT present. Takes you 24 hours to write the report. How is the seller to know the findings of the report unless the buyer provides it. You are not to give this information without expressed written consent from the buyer.
Sellers 5 year old takes a bath and accidentally gets scalded to 90% of his body and gets 2nd and 3rd degree burns all over his body and must live a life of physical and emotional agony. Well, this COULD happen just like the water line could burst.
So now instead of a judge go in front of that child and tell them sorry you are physically scarred for life and will probably not lead a normal life, because you didn’t want to go outside your every so perfect SOP.
Make believe scenarios work both ways.
Michael -
On 2 element electric water heaters the top element fires 1st. When satisfied it switches to the lower element. The lower element then takes over and its feasible the top element might not come on again for a month or??
Perhaps you would like to explain how a five year old takes a bath in a home that has been winterized. (This should be good.)