What is the extent of hot water heater inspection?

[MMing5000]

A homeowner had just replaced his water heater about a year ago in his 32 year old house. In the appraisal report, i had commented the water heater is a year old and is not double strapped because it is not a local building code requirement.

The Lender's Reviewer has requested the appraiser to comment on whether the water heater’s PRV (pressure relief valve) has attached pipe installed correctly.

Anyone knows if this a new FHA inspection requirement to test the water heater and checker whether the pressure relief valve and existing pipes are installed correctly? Surely the Reviewer wouldn't make up such a request.

 

[andrew81]

iii. Plumbing System
The Appraiser must examine the water heater to ensure that it has a temperature and
pressure-relief valve with piping to safely divert escaping steam or hot water.

 

[andrew81]

your attached photo shows pressure-relief valve with piping

 

[MMing5000]

The question is whether the pressure relif valvle and piping are installed correctly? ... i have never came across where a water heater does not have a pressure relief valve.

 

[Renee Healion]

You won't see one without a temperature & pressure relief valve, but you probably will run into one that does not have a pipe to direct hot water floorward for safety in the event the valve discharges hot water. (And you may see one where someone plugged the end of it- bad idea) As to whether it is "attached right", I would not get into that. I think I can see how they did it from the photo (sweat by thread) but opining on plumbing technique is not your job, imo.

 

[andrew81]

if the prv and pipe are installed i only provide a photo and do not comment on it

if the pipe is missing i provide a photo showing the prv without pipe and comment on the missing pipe

i do not make any comments about how it is installed, functionality, or anything else

if the lender/client wants more information then i would tell them i suggest an inspection by a qualified individual

 

[andrew81]

edit

 

[CANative]

California is a well-known actively seismic area. Water heaters need seismic strapping. It is the law in CA that water heaters be strapped at time of sale or when replaced.

I'm surprised you've somehow made it this far without knowing this.

 

[CANative]

The Temperature Pressure Relief (TPR) valve must have a discharge tube that meets half a dozen requirements. The size cannot be reduced, the end must be visible, the end cannot stop in the ground, certain angles of the pipe are required and certain materials must be used. If the appliance somehow manages to overheat despite all of it's redundancy, the volume of superheated steam expands 1,600 times it volume in a second or less. This can kill, mame, destroy the house, etc., etc.

Look all of this stuff up and copy and paste it to a file on your computer.

 

[MMing5000]

California is a well-known actively seismic area. Water heaters need seismic strapping. It is the law in CA that water heaters be strapped at time of sale or when replaced.

I'm surprised you've somehow made it this far without knowing this.

Please read the very first sentence again in my comment