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Noticed that a pipe off my hot water heater (It is labeled "Boiler Out") drips a little bit - nothing awful but I noticed it dripped on the basement floor. It's right around where the 2 sections of the pipe meet/connected with lug nut.
Equipment is brand new - wasn't sure if this is normal or if I should get some of that epoxy putty and put it around where the water is coming out?
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NewHomeBuyer79
Noticed that a pipe off my hot water heater (It is labeled "Boiler Out") drips a little bit - nothing awful but I noticed it dripped on the basement floor. It's right around where the 2 sections of the pipe meet/connected with lug nut.
Equipment is brand new - wasn't sure if this is normal or if I should get some of that epoxy putty and put it around where the water is coming out?
Thanks for any help
You may want to try putting a 1/4 turn or so on the connection before you stick any epoxy in there. If this is brand new it may just be a little loose.
That is a new one for us. Exactly what does this "Lug Nut" look like?
Are you in fact describing a fitting called a Threaded Union. Those are threaded fittings used to allow taking pipe / tubing apart by just unscrewing a threaded locking ring.
If that is the case, then you just tighten a tad more. Probably will not be able to get a 1/4 turn, just snug.
Other than that I would guess compression fitting. Again you tighten it a wee tad only. Over tightening it can ruin the fitting. Lots of variations on these type critters.
You have been extremely clear in describing this fitting. We do not even have a clue as to the type / material of this piping / tubing let alone what the offending culprit might be. Process of elimination, probably not a threaded reducing bushing, you say out in the piping, could be a Tee, could be a doogledoggiecrumbunch. Are you sure a wing nut is somehow not involved????
Give us a hint, show us the pix. Is it threaded, is it brass, is it smaller than a bread box, does it look like plastic, what is the color????
This is summer, are you sure it is not just condensation????
I'm sorry if this answer is a bit vague, so is the problem. Lug nuts and cars, that computes, lug nuts and hot water heater that does not compute, input rejected, error in memory section 000000000EBDAF.
Noticed that a pipe off my hot water heater (It is labeled "Boiler Out") drips a little bit - nothing awful but I noticed it dripped on the basement floor. It's right around where the 2 sections of the pipe meet/connected with lug nut.
Equipment is brand new - wasn't sure if this is normal or if I should get some of that epoxy putty and put it around where the water is coming out?
Thanks for any help
I'm going to take a shot at it...
My guess is that you're NOT looking at a "lug nut".
I think what you're looking at is the emergency pressure relief valve on top of the water heater. It will be connected to a copper pipe that goes to the edge of the unit, has a 90 degree elbow and a pipe that goes almost to the floor. It is likely at the end of that pipe where the drips are slowly leaking. (Some water heaters have the relief valve on the side, toward the top.)
Could be the hot water relief valve. Yeah, in my wild imagination, I can see a lug nut.
Lets see. New house, genius inspector guy does a manual lifting of the relief valve to check it. Valve is like most of them. Once they get a lil crap built up inside, if you lift it, gets on the seat area, won't seal again as it cools.
They leak a few drops. You can replace it. Many times can get it to seal again by rotating the lil handle without lifting it. Kinda grinds the crap off the seat. Or if you are handy, take it apart and clean the seat or relap the valve.
That scenario sort of computes, see a thing labeled relief valve, think it is a big nut. If this turns out to be it, you sure do not want to be attempting to plug it up with anything.
If it ain't the relief valve, I am going back to does not compute in memory section 000000000CABDF.
If it ain't the relief valve, I am going back to does not compute in memory section 000000000CABDF.
I cannot think of anything resembling a Wing Nut on a water heater. And unless there's a fitting that's leaking (which would do more than drip) I can't think of anything else.
I cannot think of anything resembling a Wing Nut on a water heater. And unless there's a fitting that's leaking (which would do more than drip) I can't think of anything else.
Wing Nuts are those who sometimes hold those handles on the Lug Nut. It is a common term of endearment.
All in all a very common problem with the relief valve. You can sometimes just wait a bit, more crap finds the right place and they quit weeping after a while. Until the next time it lifts or is tested. All relief valves are like that, even the big industrial ones. They all want to leak / weep after they lift or are tested. Murphy's Laws are always at work, the worse happens at the most inopportune times just after the possible solution was sold off as surplus.
Wing Nuts are those who sometimes hold those handles on the Lug Nut. It is a common term of endearment.
All in all a very common problem with the relief valve. You can sometimes just wait a bit, more crap finds the right place and they quit weeping after a while. Until the next time it lifts or is tested. All relief valves are like that, even the big industrial ones. They all want to leak / weep after they lift or are tested. Murphy's Laws are always at work, the worse happens at the most inopportune times just after the possible solution was sold off as surplus.
I replaced the valve on my water heater about 6 months ago. Not hard at all, but kind of a pain in the butt.
Mine is located on the top of the water heater, so I had to sweat the vertical pipe off the elbow, then the horizontal pipe, then remove the valve.
As you know, the real trick to sweating copper joints is to have them completely dry - which can be a little tricky on a water heater.
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Lug Nut.............versus Wing Nuts
