PRV Boiler not sealing - Impact and risk

[heroesheroes]

Hello everyone,

During a recent refill of our boiler, the internal pressure relief valve (PRV) opened as expected at around 4 bar. However, after the pressure returned to normal operating range, the PRV did not fully reseat. It is currently leaking at a very slow rate (approximately one drop per minute).

So far, there has been no measurable pressure decrease in the system, but a gradual loss of pressure over time is expected. The discharge is routed through a small drain hole and collected in a bucket located under the boiler.

Our next scheduled maintenance is in about 18 months. I would appreciate your advice on the potential impact of leaving the situation as-is until then, specifically:

• Risk of internal corrosion in the boiler due to periodic makeup water as pressure slowly drops
• Corrosion risk in associated piping from oxygenated fresh water ingress
• Effects of slightly elevated humidity in the boiler vicinity from continuous minor leakage
• Any safety or reliability concerns with a PRV that does not fully seal after actuation

In your experience, would this level of leakage typically justify earlier intervention, or is monitoring until the next planned maintenance generally acceptable?

Thank you in advance for your insights.

Best regards,

 

[CountryFan]

Yep, just get it seen to asap. Every time you refill, you're diluting any inhibitor in the system, adding oxygenated water to cause potential corrosion, as you mentioned.