I just signed a lease on an apartment with the water heater in a closet next to the bathroom. There are two pvc pipes coming out and over the top of the tank, one is labeled 'drinking water' and is constantly draining into a hole in the bottom of the closet. The other one just runs parallel and ends in free air. The sound of the water running constantly is driving me bananas, and I fear a water bill the size of the national debt. The landlord says it's a condensation drain for the overflow of the water heater, which sounds suspicious to me. Is this a real thing? If not, I plan to point out that it is the landlord's responsibility to fix, and that since he is in violation of the lease and I cannot afford both the rent and the water bill, the lease is void and I will take him to small claims to recouop my deposit and first month's rent.

I can't imagine what pipes you could be talking about. There is no overflow pipe for a water heater. There is no condensation pipe for a water heater. There is a temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valve for a water heater. The T&P valve is a safety device that releases water if the temperature or pressure gets to high. The piping for T&P valve will come out of the top of the tank or out of the side of the tank close to the top. It will have a little spring loaded lever for opening it for test purposes. Sometimes, due to corrosion, or because trash has become lodged in the T&P, it can leak. They can also leak for other reasons but it is a periodic leak not a constant leak. The piping for the T&P valve will end above a floor drain which drains away any water should it "blow off". A constant leaking T&P valve will have a sufficient effect on your cost of water and heating.

The piping you describe may or may not be the T&P discharge pipe. Can you post a picture of the piping?

Hi DayCathy

Do you have a forced air furnace in the same room as the water heater? If so, then you may have a condensate drain coming from the forced air heating system and that will drain water while the system is on. The other line would be the T&P valve coming from the water heater and if it isn't leaking then that is a good thing!

Anyway, let me know if you have a forced air heating system, OK?

The pipe labeled "drinking water" really has me confused... as Hkstroud suggested, a picture would really help!

Mark

Thanks Mark for your input. Never thought of a forced air furnace. I learn something new from you guys everyday. Cheers. Tom

Ahhh... we'll have to see here, Tom! I'm just guessing like you are... :)

I was so sure you nailed I deleted my post. Makes perfect sense. Of course I've never seen a forced air furnace here. Most of our heat comes from heat strips or reverse air. Cheers, Tom

I hope they can post a picture of this. The "drinking water" pipe is strange. I bet there is a history there that would be interesting to know.

Air condition system would have condensate line, not heat system. But I'm sure that's what Mark means.

Harold, any gas forced air furnace that is 90% efficient or better will have a condensate drain. 90 percenters create condensation, just the nature of the beast.

Im also looking forward to pics.

I stand corrected.
Guess I'm just old and can't afford those newfangled contraptions.
Still on a fire place and an out house.

Thanks MGD.

Hey, some days I wish we were all set up with outhouses and wood fireplaces. Sure would save a guy from them early morning weekend service calls.