Deal With Hot Water Heater Leaks - Blue Ribbon Plumbing

If you take care of your hot water heater, electric or gas, they will last between 8 and 12 years.

There is always the possibility that your water heater might leak. The good news is that most water heater leaks are small and can be fixed quickly.

The best part?

To make the process even simpler, there are several things you can do prior to calling a plumber.

Reasons For A Broken Hot Water Heater

Hot water heater leaks are most commonly due to the following:

Broken drain valves could trigger the water to leak from the bottom of the tank. You can easily fix them by replacing the damaged drain valve.

The buildup of sediment can cause cracking and corrosion in the tank’s bottom. It’s time to replace your water heater when this happens.

Leakage can be caused by loose water line connections. The problem can be corrected by replacing or tightening the worn water lines.

Broken pressure/temperature valves: These valves, as their name implies, monitor and regulate water heaters’ temperature and pressure. They can break and cause water leakage from the tank’s sides.

Water heater leaks can be caused by many other factors. Contacting a professional like Blue Ribbon Plumbing LLC is the best way to find out what’s causing your leaky water heater and how to fix it.

WHAT TO DO IF A WATER HEATER ELECTRIC LEAK IS FOUND

According to expert plumbing contractors, here are the steps to take if your water heater leaks:

If you discover a hot water leak, you must immediately cut off the power. Turn off the power source that is causing the hot water leakage

Locate your gas water heater thermostat. There should be a small knob with three settings: OFF, ON, and PILOT. To turn off the gas, switch it to OFF/PILOT. This will make the heater safe for use.

Electric water heater: Look at your breaker panel for the breaker marked “water heater”. To turn off the unit’s power, switch it off.

Shut off the water. Locate the cold water line that leads to the heater and turn it off. The line should have a valve. Turn it to the right until the valve closes. This will shut off the water supply and allow you to move on to the next stage.

Drain your water tank: This is essential if you have a tank water heater. This is also the most difficult step.

Attach a garden hose or a drain valve to the bottom of your water heater.

Then, run the hose to a sump pit or floor drain.

Once the hose is in place, you could open up the valve. For an older hot water heater, this may appear like a standard tap; on newer systems, there’s a drain stem that accepts a screwdriver.

NOTE: If you open the drain valve, the water may not flow properly or stop flowing. This is due to a vacuum inside the water heater.

Open any hot water tap in your house to break the vacuum. This will allow air to enter the tank, allowing it to drain faster. The whole tank should drain within an hour after you have established a good flow.

After the water heater has been drained, call a plumber to get a hot water heater repair service. We will quickly locate the source of the leakage and fix it.