Question: Water keeps dripping down the copper tube on the side of our water heater onto the floor. Is this a problem or is it normal?
Answer: This tube is an overflow tube that will let water flow out of the tank should the pressure get to high. This pipe is attached to the pressure-temperature relief valve and runs down the side of the water heater to a few inches above the floor. While the problem could be a defective valve, it is more likely the water expansion tank mounted on the cold water inlet pipe above your water heater. This tank is there to absorb pressure pulses created when faucets throughout the house are turned off. It does this with a rubber diaphragm or bladder across the middle of the tank that can absorb these pressure pulses. The tank can be easily tested by tapping on it with a metal object. The lower one third of the tank will give a dull thud while the upper third will give a hollow ringing sound. If you get a dull thud all the way up, the bladder in the tank has failed and it is filled with water. This tank will need to be replaced.
Question: I reside in a Dunham model townhome in N19. When my furnace comes on there is an expansion of some sort from the heat in the main vent that runs through the master bedroom to the overhead heating vents to the living room and master bedroom. (This does not happen when just the fan is on and no heat going through the main vent.) The sound coming from it is very consistent (almost like a dripping sound) and continues for about a minute after the furnace turns off. It drives me crazy! Has anyone else had similar problems and had a solution?
Answer: The dripping or ticking sounds like the duct mounting nails are allowing the duct to creep against the ceiling studs as the duct heats up and expands. The fix is to go up in the attic and do one of two things. Remove the nails anchoring the duct to the studs and replace them with screws. Tighten the screws so that the duct can’t move when it heats up. The other possible fix is to remove the nails and place foam tape under the mounting points and reset the nails. This will cushion the mounting point so that it doesn’t move in short jerks causing the ticking sound.
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