The purpose of the temperature pressure relief valve is to release water, and in turn lower the pressure inside the tank, in the event that the temperature or pressure gets too high in your water heater. Without a temperature pressure relief valve, your water heater would run the risk of exploding if the temperature or pressure got higher than the tank was designed to handle.

If you have any questions about a temperature pressure relief valve, or if you’d like a water heater serviced or installed in your home, contact Cabrillo, your San Francisco plumbing, heating and cooling company. We service the San Francisco area and surrounding cities like Los Altos, Orinda, Moraga and Menlo Park.

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Have you ever wondered what that lever on the top of your water heater is for? Known as the temperature pressure relief valve, that little lever protects your water heater from becoming a major safety hazard. So how does a temperature pressure relief valve work and how can you maintain it properly?

A temperature pressure relief valve is a valve that’s located somewhere near the top of your water heater. The valve has a lever that can be lifted up or down and a discharge pipe that runs from the valve straight down to the bottom of your water heater.

Because the temperature pressure relief valve plays such an important role for your water heater, it’s important to ensure that it’s working properly. There are two main ways to do this: