Why Is Water Heater Leaking

Your water heater tank should have a dedicated shutoff valve on the cold inlet pipes.

Why is water heater leaking.

It s on the cold water pipe which supplies water to the water heater. If this is a gate style valve a wheel that turns turn the valve clockwise as far as you can. The threads are the thinnest part on the nipple and it is not unusual to find leaks in them. Why it s leaking and what to do about it water heaters come equipped with a temperature and pressure relief valve also known as a tprv.

Turn off the water. If the leak is coming from the bottom of the tank it is not looking good for you. In most cases when a water heater is leaking from the top it s usually pretty easy to pinpoint to leak. The first thing you ll want to do is determine where the water heater leak is located.

This is caused by years of sediment building up in the bottom of the water heater tank. Before you resign yourself to replacing the entire water heater take a few minutes to determine where the leak is actually coming from and you may be able to fix the leak yourself with little or no cost. The most likely scenario in this case is that sediment has built up and corroded the bottom of the tank causing a serious problem and the need for an entirely new water heater. Find the cold water inlet valve.

The relief valve is working the way it s intended and water drained to reduce the pressure inside the tank. A leaking water heater can be a symptom to a more serious problem so it s important to always keep a close eye on your heater after performing any repairs. If after attempting to fix the problem your water heater is still leaking turn off the power and cold water supply and contact a professional plumber. When you see water coming out from the water heater release valve there are two most likely causes.

What to do with a leaking water heater step 1. Water leaking from your water heater is a bad sign regardless of where the leak is coming from. A leaking relief valve at the water heater. Is the leak on the top of the water heater if so continue on to the section below labeled my water heater is leaking from the top.

Although these are the two most common causes of a leaking water heater they are. The water heater nipples on top of the water heater which connect the water heater to the cold water inlet pipe and to the hot water exit pipe is another common place to find leaks. There s a problem with the valve such as a faulty seal and the water is unintentionally leaking. If you experience a leaking water heater it is recommended to turn off the water to your tank.

Most water heaters last between 10 to 13 years and if one is leaking from the bottom of the tank inside the burner compartment old age might be the cause. Luckily we re here to help.