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Does anyone have any experience with backflow on the cold side of the mixing/anti-scald valve on their hot water tank?

I noticed today that the pipe on the cold side of the valve was quite hot. When running hot water at a faucet, the cold pipe feeding into the mixing valve cooled down as expected but it quickly started to heat up again after the faucet was turned off.

From what I can read on the Wilkins/Zurn site (model #ZW1017), there may be an issue with a clogged check valve.

Is this something that is DIY fixable? or should I be contacting Reliance to come in and have a look?

Hi mt_42
In the first place, I think you will find that the mixing valve belongs to you and not reliance. That's the way most agreements work. They will come out but you will have to pay.

This sometimes comes as a shock to people when I inspect older homes. I occasionally find a 15 or 20 year old water heater that is leaking. The home owner finds out that the rental company will replace the tank for free but is obligated to instal a mixing valve at the owners expense (usually about $200).

Back to your question. You may not have back flow. Don't forget that the mixing valve body is metal and metal transfers heat very readily. When you turn off the water, heat will quite quickly be transfered from the hot part of the valve to the attached cold water piping, which is nothing to worry about.

John Allingham, Professional Engineer
Owner & Certified Home Inspector
Halton-Peel Home Inspection
(416) 254-5869
www.peelhomeinspection.com

we are having a problem where we can't get more that 5 mins of hot water while in the shower.

we've had mattamy and reliance over a few times in the past month and have had a few parts changed and no success. reliance was in again this morning and in now suggesting changing the mixing valve. mattamy has agreed to change it but they said it has already been changed once before.

i'm at a loss for ideas at this point.

I had thought I would have problems with my hot water tank when I moved in because the tank was laying on its side for some time before they installed, but no problem occured.

You can always go tankless and have the anti scald valve removed at the same time.

Tim

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http://spaces.msn.com/greensburg101/ website update...Feb 13, 2009

The mixing valve is 100% useless. I had mine removed and wish I had done it on day 1. Your hot water tank has temperature control and your shower heads have safety features in them as well.

Now when I turn on the hot water, I almost immediately get hot water. I had to turn my hot water tank down too because it was so hot.
If you turn your tank down be careful not to turn it down toomuch or bacteria can grow in it. I am sure I have saved water consumption by not having to wait for hot water and I have saved on Gas for using more water then necessary after I got rid of it..
Matt

we don't have a full size water heater tank though. we have the so-called energy efficient on-demand water heater with the small r2-d2 size tank.

If you have plastic lines you can by pass the valve for about $20.
Home Depot rents the crimping tool, you can get couple of fittings and pugs and crimp on rings and in 10min the valve is out of your system.

I adjusted the water heater low enough so that we can still have hot shower when the tap is in max hot position, the water heater adjuster is in between mid and vacation setting YMMV. I've noticed a huge drop in out gas cost after I adjusted the water heater thermostat.
Also, no way anyone can get scalded with water at that setting making the valve useless even if it worked properly

Hope this helps.

Are you saying you did the bypass Turboquattro? Are you able to post picks and a quick 'how-to'?

Catching up on your reading? Good info but that's a 2009 thread.

John Allingham
Owner & Certified Home Inspector
Halton-Peel Home Inspection
(416) 254-5869
inspect@peelhomeinspection.com
http://www.peelhomeinspection.com

Mattamy installed our hot water tank incorrectly. Not only did that happen, but the mixing valve was also faulty. We had them come in and fix it for us.