Re: water heater
Willie B,
If you don't mind, it is considered bad manners on the forums to use all capital letters when typing, mostly because some consider it shouting and us folks with older eyes find it difficult to read your posts. (Thanks)
That plastic thing is there to keep bugs and crud out of the threads of your pressure relief valve. It would have no impact on where the water goes from your water heater, or where it don't go. I have no idea of what made your water start to work but I assure you that the plug had nothing at all to do with it. If you lift the lever on that valve you will find that steam or hot water will escape from it. The plug is usually not kept in place when the relief is in use just to insure that it will work properly should it ever be needed. In addition, most of us use that relief to vent air into the tank when draining the water heater or when establishing an air bubble in the top of the water heater, which should be there when it is in use.