Electric Wh Malfunction

boman47k

I have a 40 gal electric water heater at the house my daughter lives in. Several years old now, not sure how old. When she went home last night, the bathroom had a lot of water in it. A supply line had come off under the sink. These lines are the plastic like ones, vynle, or whatever. It was the hot water line. Their was also water in the basement/cellar where the heater is located. The drain cock seemed to be dripping and their is no hot water. I suspect a stat problem and the pop off valve malfunctioned and too much pressure built up and blew the supply line on the sink. I also think maybe the water level got below the heating element and it burned out; therefore, no hot water.
I have not pulled the elements or stats and checked them yet.
I am thinking a catastrophy may have been avoided by the supply line blowing off and releasing pressure.
Does this sound logical?

PLUMBINGITALL

This could have been caused by thermal expansion or high pressure. First i would check the pressure on the house and if it is over 80psi i would install a pressure regulator and a thermal expansion tank on the heater. Then check the stat's and elements. Also make sure to fix the drain cock if it will no cut off. Then change the t&p.

boman47k

Thanks for the response. This house is on the city water supply. What would have happened to cause the pressure to increase enough to blow a line and cause a leak at the drain cock? Would excessive rainfall in anyway cause a pressure increase? I'm not sure who put that line on for the sink on, but I don't figure it would take much to blow one of those.

P.s. This heater only has a 1/2" copper line in and out.

Again, thanks for the response.

PLUMBINGITALL

Rain fall wouldnot increse the pressure. It could be caused by the water works incresing the pressure for new developments or it could have been increased for the fire dept if there was a fire in the area. Just check the pressure on the house to see. As far as the 1/2 line to the heater, the pressure would be the same on a 3/4 line. A 3/4 line will just increase the volume. And it all maybe just that the supply line to the sink was not installed right. And the drain cock leaking maybe just have a cut washer.