Replacing Your Water Heater TP Valve

It was my favorite time of the night, between 1:00 and 4:00 AM. I was sprawled out on the RV park’s free Wi-Fi, greedily slurping up all the bandwidth I could handle- Netflix on the television, downloading updates and blog surfing like a teenager. The world is perfect at that time of day, you know. No neighbors with 9 trillion gigahertz rocket capable internet connections to slow me down.

Well . . . that’s when I heard it- the sound of someone pouring water (or worse) on the ground outside my trailer. After a few minutes I knew that it wasn’t my neighbor’s dog- even big old Marmaduke couldn’t last that long. So I pulled on my robe and my slippers and with my flashlight in hand, I went out and discovered that the water was coming from my water heater. Yes, the temperature/pressure (TP) valve had finally given up the ghost, and my morning shower would have to wait.

The TP valve is usually located behind a door on the outside of the trailer or RV, high on the water heater itself, and it resembles a spigot that you might find in the back yard. Unlike a spigot, there is no handle to turn, the TP valve has a lever that lifts and release the pressure inside the water heater. The lever is for testing the valve and keeping it from sticking, which is something we’re supposed to do several times a year, when the water has cooled down completely.

The TP valve is designed to open internally when the temperature of the water or excess pressure exists in the water heater tank, thereby eliminating the possibility of tank rupture. A ruptured water heater can be extremely dangerous, not to mention expensive.

A leaking valve does not necessarily need replacing. Under normal conditions, there is a small bubble of air at the top of the tank, above the inlet and outlet lines. The bubble is there to keep the TP valve from opening. Gases like air can be compressed, whereas liquids cannot, and this bubble takes up most of the pressure- as long as the bubble is there.

If you have a leaking TP valve, it could be that your tank has lost its bubble. Before rushing out to buy a new valve, first try to re-establish the air bubble at the top of the tank.

1.       Turn off the propane to the water heater and allow the tank to cool completely, and then shut off the water supply to the RV or trailer.

2.       Relieve the tank pressure by opening a hot water faucet inside the vehicle, then lift the lever on the TP valve and allow the water to run out until it stops.

3.       Return the lever to the closed position and turn on the water supply.

4.       Close the faucet you opened in step 2.

5.       Turn the propane back on and light the pilot (if equipped) according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

If this doesn’t solve the problem, you will need to replace the valve. They typically cost between 20 and 30 dollars at the local RV and trailer parts store, but be sure to bring the old one in so you can match it to the new one- some of them (like mine) have a ½” NPT base, but most are ¾” base. Replace as follows:

1.       Turn off the propane to the water heater and allow the tank to cool completely, and then shut off the water supply to the RV or trailer.

2.       Using the lever at the top of the TP valve, open the valve and let the water run out until it stops.

3.       With the proper wrench or a pair of Channel lock (TM) pliers, remove the valve and replace it with the new one, wrapping the threads with Teflon tape.

4.       Turn on the water supply to the RV or trailer.

5.       Turn the propane back on and light the pilot (if equipped) according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

My story ended happily enough. I found the valve at the first RV store that I went to, and within a few minutes my shower water was heating up again.

I hope your story ends well too.

 

Winterizing Your RV

Winter is nearly upon us, and that means a chance for below freezing temperatures. This could be disastrous for those mobile home owners who aren't living in them full time- a new water heater can cost upwards of $600, so this is nothing to take lightly- not to mention supply lines, pumps and so on.

If you plan to store your RV, winterizing is a must. There are basically 2 methods of doing this. The first is much faster and easier, but it require the use of a compressor:

1. Drain all holding and fresh water tanks. Drain the sewage tank first so that the remaining tanks will rinse your drain hose clean.
2. Run the pump for about 15-20 seconds until dry.
3. Open the faucets, toilets and drains.
4. With an air hose and the right adapter, blow air through the fill opening for city water. It's a good idea to limit the pressure used to around 30 PSI. Leave the air on for at least a few minutes to blow out any remaining water.
5. Pour about a cup of non-toxic RV antifreeze ( DO NOT use ethylene glycol) into each drain in order to fill the p-traps.

The second way of winterizing your RV does not require a compressor, but is a bit more complicated:

1. Make sure the pump is off and close both inlet and outlet valves on the water heater. Also close the valve from the fresh water tank to the supply lines.
2. Open the bypass valve (if installed) between the inlet and outlet lines of the water heater.
3. Drain the water heater (allow it to cool first!) and the fresh water holding tank.
4. On the supply line from the fresh water holding tank, there should be another valve just past the valve that supplies fresh water to the RV. Attach a hose to this valve and open the valve.
5. Put the free end of the hose into a one gallon jug of non-toxic RV antifreeze (DO NOT use ethylene glycol for this). You will need more than one gallon, depending on the size of your RV.
6. Turn the pump on and open each faucet until you see the antifreeze flowing out, then close the faucets. Also run the antifreeze through the toilet.
7. Pour about a cup of antifreeze into each drain to fill the p-traps.
8. Close the valve leading from the jug of antifreeze, and leave the faucets closed during the cold weather.
9. Make sure the pump is off, and you're done!

I hope this information helps. I have worked as a trailer mechanic and trust me, you don't want problems with broken lines, pumps or water heaters. As they say, an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.

 

Making a Small Space Seem Larger

Making a Small Space Seem Larger

Let’s be honest, we live in smaller spaces. Even a large mobile home is not the same as a large house, and while we do benefit from a practical standpoint- reduced heating and cooling costs, lower maintenance and a nice cozy feeling- sometimes it’s nice to feel a bit less cramped.

Colder weather usually means spending more time indoors, and there a countless ways to avoid cabin fever. Here are just a few!

First, no discussion of visual space would be complete without mentioning the effect of color. Lighter colors tend to visually expand space and darker colors tend to reduce it- consider how much skinnier we all look in black, as an example. Hue has an effect too; warm colors are “smaller” than cool colors. This means that light blue walls and furnishings would appear much larger than dark red ones. There’s no need to replace your dark carpet, you could simply use a large, lightly colored rug instead.

Low contrast is another factor in creating visual space. Using similar colors and shades on the walls, drapes and furnishings and carpet makes them seem more continuous, compared to “breaking up” the space with objects that contrast too much.

Floor space is a key factor, so try to remove anything from the floor that you can do without. Floor lamps can be replaced with recessed or track lighting. Consider “up” lamps, typically small cans that project light upwards. They are inexpensive and can be found almost anywhere that sells lamps, and they can be cleverly concealed behind room furnishings.

Another trick to enlarging floor space is using a glass or acrylic coffee table. You might consider using shelves instead of end tables. Skirtless furnishings (such as couches or chairs) raised on legs help to visually free up floor space. Another idea is to replace two objects with one. For example, a chair and end table is easily replaced with an ottoman, which serves both purposes.

Years ago, a very popular trick for ‘enlarging’ a room in trailers was to use mirrored tiles on the walls. This is still a good idea if you don’t mind the somewhat ‘dated’ look of it. Otherwise, an oversized mirror or two would work.

If your mobile home has large beautiful windows, leave the drapes open. This will help include the outside world with your own inside world as well as adding interest to the room. Try not to clutter tables and shelves- negative space between objects helps.

I hope you find these tips helpful. With a little thought and effort, we can all visually expand our beloved small spaces.