Water Heaters - Hot water heater safety issues

I just moved into a new house, and recently noticed 3 things wrong with the supposedly new hot water heater the previous owners had installed.

#1) There is no pipe coming out of the emergency drainage area on the side going to the ground

#2) There is no drain in the ground for said pipe to drain into

#3) There is a strange, high pitched buzzing noise being emitted from the temperature control thing on the top of the heater

How big of problems are these, and how easy are they to fix?

Does safety code require a pipe coming out and down? Does it require a drain?

If so, how does someone install a drain in the middle of the basement? Thanks!

Hard to say. Your local codes dictate how relief valve discharge is handled. In some areas a pipe from the t&p to about 6 inches above the floor is ok. Other areas require it be piped outside. And still others require a floor drain. I would consult a local plumber and ask.

Buzzing sound. Hmmmm. Is this a Whirlpool water heater? You may want to consult the manufacturer and see what they say.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

How about a picture. I am not familiar with any temperature control things on top of a WH.