Green corrosion on new water heater PR valve
Green buildup can form on the top of the pressure relief valve within the first week of operation, even if there is no visible leak. This unexpected corrosion leaves owners dreading whether they can remedy the issue or if they must replace the entire water heater.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Wiping it completely clean and dry to monitor if residue or moisture returnsDid this help you?
- 2Having the original installer come back and correct the issue under warrantyDid this help you?
- 3Replacing the flex lines above the tankDid this help you?
- 4Replacing the short piece of copper the flex connects toDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Hello everyone, I’m dreading the answer but I need to know the truth: I found corrosion on top of my 8 year old water heater (please see pictures.) What can I do to remedy this or do I need to replace it altogether?”source ↗
“This water heater has been running for a week. I noticed the top of the PR valve has this green corrosion. I don't see a leak.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3Do I need a plumber for rusted water heater connections?
- 14Why is there water on the floor around my new water heater?
- 27Water heater going hot and cold with weird refill noises
- 2Will a drip pan catch a bursting water heater?
- 4Why is my tap water suddenly rusty and full of sediment?
- 6Why is my tankless water heater making a squeaking noise?