Check out some similar questions!

terrymac · Oct 5, 2011, 10:56 AM

My hot water heater is making my water pump come on every 5 min. I can cut the water off going in to tank and it stops? Can't find were the waters going? Also the water heater is pulling a lot off juice? Checked the t-stats there good? I put on a timer. But still

parttime · Oct 5, 2011, 11:56 AM

Hi terry and welcome, you must have a leak somewhere. Can you not access the pipes? Crawlspace?

Give some more info.

Also if your PRV is plumbed to a drain check and make sure it's not open. Good luck

terrymac · Oct 6, 2011, 10:31 AM

Hi parttime I checked the main water line going to the house. I put a valve inline right before the water heater, cut it off and the pump stopped running.so my line to the house is good.cut it back on. OK I have a valve right were the cold water goes into hot water tank.when I cut it off the pump stops.so my water to the house has no leaks. I've checked everything, somehow the hot water heater even thought it's cut off by a timer. Is still making my pump come on.and I've checked for leaks around the water heater. Can't see no sign of water. It has to be goning somewhere?

parttime · Oct 6, 2011, 10:54 AM

Terry, your water heater can't make your pump run, you have to have a leak on the hot water side. You never said whether your pressure relief valve is plumbed to a drain, if it leaking into a drain you would never see the water. Check that, OK? Also check the hot water lines going to the rest of your house, OK? Let me know, maybe an expert will have a better idea. Good luck

terrymac · Oct 6, 2011, 03:49 PM

Hi parttime thanks, the prv is is not hooked up to any pipe. I looked it over and its not leaking. I've checked all places like the hot water going to the dish washer, the ice maker on the frig, the toilets, the pipe runs in the slab. If it was leaking thought I'd see it. No soft spots in the yard or around the slab outside? It's got to be in the water heater? But I see nothing.

parttime · Oct 6, 2011, 04:19 PM

Hi again Terry, so your plumbing is under a slab, if you check all the visible pipes the leak has to be under the slab. Let me say again that the water heater can't be causing your pump to run unless it is leaking water.

Now to your problem, find local plumbers with experience locating leaks under slabs, get a few estimates and go from there. A good plumber can find the leak within inches and reduce the amount of busted concrete. Good luck

P.S. this would have received better answers posted in the plumbing section, I'll try to get an expert to check me on this.

hkstroud · Oct 6, 2011, 08:43 PM

No expert but I would like to confirm what partime is telling you.

Assuming you see no signs of dampness in floor anywhere, suggest that you close cold water input valve to heater and turn timer on. Set water heater to maximum temperature, let the water in heater get hot. Open input valve and let water run for about 5 or 10 minutes. Hot water pipe should be hot where it enters concrete floor. Begin feeling floor for warmth. Depending on size of leak, cold water flowing through pipe and leaking out will cool concrete after 5 to 10 minutes.
If you are not successful in narrowing down the location of leak you will have to get a pro with a listening device and hope he can locate the leak from sound.

Eventually the leak will show up, probably after a lot of damage has been done.

speedball1 · Oct 7, 2011, 06:23 AM

No mystery here! Parttime nailed it. The water heater has nothing to do with your problem.
You have a hot water leak under the slab that's costing you $ in electricity both to pump and then heat the water. Call in a company that locates and pinpoints hidden leaks.
Now I have a question. What's a PRV( pressure reducing valve) doing on a pump system?

parttime · Oct 7, 2011, 07:02 AM

Hey Tom, that was my bad, I meant the "TPR". Sorry about that.
No problem! Mystery solved. Tom