Suddenly realizing that your water heater is leaking can be startling since it creates a risk of water damage in the surrounding area. Some leaks are much worse than others and can cause severe flooding and major damage. That’s why you should make sure you know what to check for if your water heater is leaking and what steps you need to take.

Determine Where the Water Is Coming From

If you ever notice water dripping down the side of a tank water heater or pooling underneath it, the first thing to do is figure out where the water is leaking from. If your water heater starts leaking, you’ll always want a plumber to check it out. Nonetheless, figuring out where the water is coming from can help you determine whether you’re dealing with an emergency that requires immediate attention.

There are three primary places where a tank water heater can leak. The first is the pressure relief valve, located near the top of the water heater. It usually has a pipe connected to it that extends down to near the bottom of the tank. The purpose of this valve is to ensure that the tank doesn’t explode if the water gets too hot because of pressure that increases above a safe level. Any time the pressure in the tank rises above a certain level, this valve opens to let some water out, and the pressure immediately decreases.

If the pressure relief valve frequently opens, it usually means an issue with your water heater’s thermostat or temperature control. As a result, the water gets too hot. The valve can sometimes get stuck when it opens and cause water to leak out constantly. Another possibility is that the internal seal in the valve is worn out. In either of these last two cases, you’ll need a plumber to partially drain the water heater and then replace the valve.

The drain valve near the bottom of the tank can also wear out and result in water continually leaking out of the tank. As with a worn-out pressure relief valve, the solution in this situation is to have a plumber drain the tank and then install a new valve.

The time when you need to worry is if water is leaking out of the tank itself. It indicates that the tank has started to rust through and is at risk of fully rupturing. The places that usually rust through and fail first are at the seams near the top of the tank or at the bottom.

Shut the Water and Water Heater Off

If a small amount of water occasionally leaks out of the pressure relief valve, you may be able to leave your water heater on. That way, you’ll still have hot water while you wait for the plumber to inspect and fix the unit. If more than a tiny trickle of water leaks out of the drain valve or the tank is leaking significantly, you should turn the unit off and then close the shut-off valve on the cold-water inlet pipe.

Turning the water heater off is critical if the tank is leaking. If you leave the unit on, there’s a greater chance of the tank rupturing since there is much more pressure inside the tank when the water is hot. Once you shut the unit off, the pressure will start to slowly decrease as the water starts cooling down.

Shutting off the water supply to the unit is also crucial just in case the tank ruptures or the drain valve completely fails and starts massively leaking. If you were to leave the water on, you’d end up with much more extensive flooding in either situation. That’s because more water would just continue flowing into the tank, leaking out onto the floor. The supply line for a water heater is normally a 3/4-inch pipe, and the average flow rate for a pipe this size is approximately 13.5 gallons per minute. That means you could end up with hundreds of gallons of water flooding the area in just a short time if you don’t make sure to shut the water supply off.

Drain the Water Heater Tank

It’s not possible to replace a water heater when the tank is leaking, meaning your only option is to hire a plumber to install a replacement. The first thing the plumber will do when they arrive is to drain the water heater as long as it’s sufficiently cooled. If you can’t get a plumber out to your house immediately, you may want to drain the unit yourself to avoid potential flooding. If there’s a floor drain or shower nearby, you can attach a hose to the drain valve and run it to this drain. However, you should wait a couple of hours from when you shut the unit off until you drain it. That way the water should sufficiently cool down to the point where you won’t get scalded when you drain the tank.

Before opening the drain valve, you’ll need to turn the hot water on in a sink or shower. Hot water won’t come out of the fixture if you shut the water supply to the unit off. However, if you don’t have a fixture open, it will result in a vacuum forming inside the tank that prevents it from fully draining.

How Regular Maintenance Can Prevent a Water Heater From Leaking

One of the most crucial components of a tank water heater is the anode rod. The rod consists of a long steel cable that’s coated in some other metal, usually aluminum, magnesium or zinc. It sits within the tank and is specifically there to slow down the rate at which the steel tank rusts and corrodes. The way it works is that the metal coating gets sacrificed, meaning that all the minerals in the water corrode the coating instead of reacting with the tank.

The only issue is that there always comes a point when most of the coating is eaten away, and the anode rod no longer works. Depending on the type of metal the rod is coated with and how hard your water is, it usually only takes three to five years before enough of the coating is gone that the anode rod no longer works effectively.

This is one reason why annual water heater maintenance is so important. A plumber will check the condition of the anode rod to determine if it’s time to replace it. If you wait too long before replacing the rod, there’s a higher chance your water heater tank will eventually start leaking. The tank will end up experiencing much more rust and corrosion once the anode rod wears out. Annual maintenance also helps keep a water heater working more efficiently so that it uses less energy and experiences less wear and tear.

When you need any plumbing or boiler services in Norwell, MA, or the surrounding areas, turn to our experts at Pilgrim Plumbing, Inc.. We’ve been in business for more than two decades and have a reputation as one of the top plumbing companies in the area. Whether it’s repairing or replacing your water heater or anything else, you can trust we’ll get the job done right and done on time. To schedule a service call and get the experienced help you need, contact us today.

company icon