Why Is Water Heater Leaking

The relief valve is working the way it s intended and water drained to reduce the pressure inside the tank.

Why is water heater leaking.

Luckily we re here to help. Find the cold water inlet valve. 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. 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.

What to do with a leaking water heater step 1. If the leak is coming from the bottom of the tank it is not looking good for you. There s a problem with the valve such as a faulty seal and the water is unintentionally leaking. When you see water coming out from the water heater release valve there are two most likely causes.

If this is a gate style valve a wheel that turns turn the valve clockwise as far as you can. In most cases when a water heater is leaking from the top it s usually pretty easy to pinpoint to leak. 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. A leaking relief valve at the water heater.

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. 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. 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. The threads are the thinnest part on the nipple and it is not unusual to find leaks in them.

Water leaking from your water heater is a bad sign regardless of where the leak is coming from. The first thing you ll want to do is determine where the water heater leak is located. Although these are the two most common causes of a leaking water heater they are. Eventually the bottom of the tank will rust through and begin to leak.

Turn off the water. The valve is usually a lever or a knob type valve. Your water heater tank should have a dedicated shutoff valve on the cold inlet pipes. If you experience a leaking water heater it is recommended to turn off the water to your tank.

This is caused by years of sediment building up in the bottom of the water heater 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.