I found this on a $400K condo. Any idea what all the lines control?
looks like cold water in (with the valve), hot water out, and an improper pressure release valve configuration. Tough to see lots going on there. Was the plumbers name Suess?
Water supply, meter and TPR pipe.
It’s Alive! It’s Alive!
Plumber does his jobs by piece work. LOL
An extremely poor attempt at adding a recirculating system. Even the TPR valve has been tied into it.
Needs correction, but this time by a **qualified **plumber…
It’s not as bad as others have suggested.
The PRV is tied into the TPR drain pipe, which most Florida AHJ’s allow. The complex series of elbows and fittings make it look worse than it is, but it’s a water heater installed below, or adjacent, to a AHU in a small closet in a condo, not a lot of room to plumb anything.
And there’s no recirculating equipment there.
Dom.
Ahh, you’re right. That’s a meter, not a pump.
Looks like PVC, not allowed on TPR valve. I wouldn’t think it’s ever okay to put a T in the TPR extension?
Actually you can get Cpvc that has the rating needed for TPR.
**All **CPVC is “rated” for TPR discharge piping.
cpvc is not suppose to be used within the first 18" of a water heater, but even though this looks like a mess of piping I have seen it a hundred times. The water main is coming in thru the meter turning and teeing into the HW tank then going back out to the unit. Typical budget, lowest bidder job. Might have wanted to look for a thermal expansion tank.
Why?
helps deal with thermal expansion created by the water heater, more than likely there is a backflow preventer on the main service to the structure, I am also a master plumber and we did a lot of these meter installs in condo’s and highend apartments so management can bill the water usage per unit, I would be willing to bet there is still a main water service somewhere with a backflow preventer. But then again, why open up a can of worms if you don’t need to. I am also surprised that there was no mixing valve on that water heater. The install looks so new I would have thought I would see one.
But none is visible from the pic…
It would have been on the main water service, there is probably a larger water service in one of the other units and it branches off to each unit.
I know where it would have been, but from the pic provided you are assuming…just saying.
Not correct but I don’t wish to argue either.
Here we go again… :roll:
There’s nothing to argue about Kevin. CPVC is rated for, and allowed for use as discharge piping for the TPR.
If you disagree, please post your evidence here. Do us all a favor and instead of posting a rabbit-hole link, copy and paste exactly what you’re referring to. Like this;
608.5 Relief valves located inside a building shall be provided with a drain, not smaller than the relief valve outlet, of galvanized steel, hard-drawn copper piping and fittings, CPVC, or listed relief valve drain tube with fittings that will not reduce the internal bore of the pipe or tubing (straight lengths as opposed to coils) and shall extend from the valve to the outside of the building, with the end of the pipe not more than two (2) feet (610 mm) nor less than six (6) inches (152 mm) above the ground or the flood level of the area receiving the discharge and pointing downward. Such drains may terminate at other approved locations. Relief valve drains shall not terminate in a building’s crawl space. No part of such drain pipe shall be trapped or subject to freezing. The terminal end of the drain pipe shall not be threaded.