Discovering you have a water heater leak can be worrisome, but leaks don't always mean you need a new water heater. Fortunately, many common causes of leaks can be taken care of by yourself.
Consider Safety First
Turn off the power to your water heater at the breaker in your home's electrical panel. Then, shut off the water supply to your water heater. You can make minor repairs at this point, but if you need to remove or replace fittings, drain the tank first.
To avoid scalding burns, wait at least three hours for the water to cool down. Then, drain the tank by attaching a garden hose to the sill cock (drain) valve at the bottom of the tank and placing the end of the hose outdoors. You can also collect this water in a bucket.
Identify and Repair the Water Heater Leak
You should check the body of your tank for leaks, cracks and pinholes. These damages usually mean you'll need to replace your water heater. In contrast, if your tank drips small amounts of water only during cold weather, the cause is most likely harmless condensation.
Excess pressure can strain the T&P relief valve at the top of your tank. Lower the thermostat setting to 140 degrees if it's set higher than this temperature. If you notice mineral deposits around the valve, flush it by placing a bucket underneath and draining out a bucketful of water. If it keeps leaking, drain the whole tank and repair or replace the valve. For brass valves, replacing the washer may be all that's required, but other types should be replaced completely.
If your inlet or outlet pipes are leaking, check where they connect to the water heater, since loose connections often leak. Just use an adjustable wrench to tighten these pipes. Disconnecting them and applying Teflon tape or sealant to the threads can also help. Make sure you replace any corroded or otherwise damaged pipes.
For help repairing a water heater leak or another plumbing problem, contact Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. in the Fort Wayne area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about water heater leaks and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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