if when the heating is turned on the guage rises from say 1.5 bar when cold to 3 bar plus when hot then its the expansion vessel at fault. it could be flat but more than likely its knackered.
the pressure release valve is a valve that opens up when the system pressure gets too high. its a safety device and if it allows water out the relief pipe when the system pressure gets high and not when cold then the valve is fine.
iain
April 2008