Originally Posted By: jgallant This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
On two houses I inspected today, one from 1987, the other new construction, both had water heater temperature pressure relief valve drain lines using flexible copper tubing, where the narrow, upstream end was less than 3/4" outside diameter. This makes the inside diameter close to if not equalling 5/8". Everything I’ve read and heard says that the inside diameter of these drain lines should be 3/4" or larger.
An inspector friend of mine who's opinion I value said, yes, technically it's a violation, but that if the rest of the water heater installation looks correct then he wouldn't recommend any correction.
Originally Posted By: jpeck This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
They can be less than 3/4", if the T&P valve opening is.
Many electric water heaters (most of them) really only require a 1/2" discharge valve, so a 1/2" line would work. Except that they come with a 3/4" discharge valve, and the opening cannot be reduced in size.
That is the problem. The drain line is reduced in size.