Water Heater Leaking From Bottom (What to Do)
A leaking water heater can be a source of immense stress for anyone who owns a home. People depend on water heaters for so many aspects of their lives, after all. A reliable water heater is essential for everything from showering to food cooking tasks.
If you notice your water heater leaking, it may make you panic initially. It may specifically make you panic to notice leaking from the bottom. A water heater leak can signify many different things. Heater leaking can signify a faulty drain valve, tank corrosion, loose gaskets and issues with hot and cold water connections.
Understanding the causes of water leaking in a water heater may help you avoid problems in the future. A leaky water heater can disrupt your day-to-day routine in a significant way. This likely means it’s time to contact a professional water heater repair service to find out what’s going on. Luckily, we provide a no-obligation consultation, give us a call.
Should I Be Worried If My Water Heater Is Leaking?
Water heater leaking isn’t an issue that should make you want to pull your hair out in frustration. Although water heater leaking is definitely frustrating, it can in some cases be pretty easy to fix. Don’t assume that all water heater leaks are the same. How should you respond to a water heater leaking dilemma? You should begin by switching off your water supply. After you do that, you should switch off your power supply. If you have an electric water heater, you have to find your water heater’s breaker. This should be part of the electrical panel in your home. Put the breaker on the “OFF” setting. If you have a gas water heater, you have to look for your gas supply line’s valve. Turn it in the direction of a clock until you can no longer do so.
Once you switch off your water supply, you’ll be able to proceed and get to the bottom of your water heater leaking problem.
As indicated earlier, water heater leak situations aren’t always the same. One heater leaking issue may have a relatively straightforward fix. Another one may be much more complicated in nature. It’s critical to be able to identify a water heater leaking problem that’s a pressing emergency. If you have a water heater that’s on the verge of exploding, then that’s certainly an emergency. A leaking T & P valve can denote a major issue with water heaters. The T & P valve is in charge of managing water heater tank pressure. That’s why a leaking pressure relief valve can be so nerve-racking. If a temperature pressure relief valve leaks, it may point to a unit that simply cannot accommodate the existing internal tank pressure. Excess pressure is never desirable. If you suspect that your problem involves too much pressure, then you need to hire a professional plumber for emergency service without delay. Fixing an internal pressure problem may give your water heater a brand new lease on life.
More About the Water Heater Leaking From Bottom Dilemma
Where exactly is your water heater leak? Is it coming from the bottom of the unit? If it is, then you should assess the drain valve. If the drain valve isn’t fully shut, that may be the problem. If you suspect a drain valve leak, looseness could be the reason. The positive news is that taking care of a leaking drain valve isn’t usually a tough job at all. Simply grab a pipe wrench. The assistance of a pipe wrench can help you tighten the problematic drain valve slightly. Just don’t go overboard with this. Drain valves that are excessively tight can actually exacerbate a leaking water heater issue. What exactly should you do if the leaking doesn’t go away? If it fails to stop, then you may have to go for drain valve replacement.
Other things that do not involve drain valve matters at all can cause a hot water heater to leak from the bottom of the tank. If you observe confusing water accumulation close to the foundation of your water heater tank, then it may be related to cracking. It may signify a hot water tank crack or split. If you believe that your leaking water heater is the consequence of a water heater tank crack, then you should think about investing in a brand new water heater, stat. Water heater repair work just isn’t sufficient for this type of problem. Getting a new water heater can save you from all kinds of leak concerns and wastes of time in the future.
The aforementioned T & P valve is a type of safety device that’s part of most water heaters that are on the market in this day and age. The temperature and pressure valve gives off excessive pressure that comes from the hot water tank. It accomplishes this via a tube that points toward the floor. This is called the discharge tube. If the pressure inside the tank becomes extreme, the discharge tube will spray some water. This spraying denotes pressure release and relief. Analyze your T and P valve. Analyze your discharge tube. If it feels damp, then your pressure valve may be behind the situation. Something may be wrong with the valve. If it’s not functioning correctly, it may cease to work regardless of the water pressure status inside of your tank. A faulty valve requires prompt replacement from a professional.
Consider internal tank leaks. If you have leaking from the bottom of your hot water heater, odds are strong that an issue with your internal tank may be the cause. This may be related to tank failure. A faulty tank can tie in with structural troubles of all sorts. What can make an entire tank stop working in the right manner? Perhaps you haven’t gotten rid of sediment buildup in your tank. Sediment buildup is prevalent in locations that tend to have water that’s particularly hard. If you want to steer clear of this kind of buildup, you should prioritize tank flushing on a routine basis. Flushing your tank twice a year will help you get rid of pesky sediment. Be sure to take this seriously as well. If you don’t perform maintenance on your tank, it may greatly interfere with your water heater efficiency. Note, too, that sediment can slowly but surely bring on tank shell splitting, corrosion and a host of other headaches. It may make leaking water happen as well.
Can You Fix a Water Heater That Is Leaking?
Fixing a water heater leak is definitely possible, although it understandably depends on the specific case. If you have leaking from the bottom of your water heater that’s associated with your drain valve, then repairing it may be a walk in the park. It’s a replacement job that simply requires the assistance of a talented and seasoned plumbing expert.
While it’s indeed possible to fix many leaking water dilemmas, there are many exceptions, too. If the leaking water started in the tank, full unit replacement will most likely be the solution.
What can you do to prevent water heater leaking in the first place? Assess the state of the anode rod. Since your water heater is made out of metal, it’s naturally vulnerable to corrosion. If you analyze your sacrificial anode rod and come to the conclusion that it’s degraded significantly, you need to do something about it. An anode rod that’s tired is basically a unit breakdown “preview” of sorts. If your anode rod just isn’t in tiptop condition, then your water heater probably doesn’t have much life left.
Think about other things that can help you prevent irritating leakage that can bring on water damage and many other hassles. Temperature setting adjustment can work like a charm. Floor protection can, too. This doesn’t mean that you should use paper towels to wipe up dampness. It means that you should invest in a drain pan purchase. If you put this pan right by the foundation of your water tank, it should be able to help you keep leaks out of sight and out of mind.
Never dismiss the value of proper maintenance. It doesn’t matter if you have an electric water heater, a gas water heater or anything else. You should do anything you can to protect yourself from leaking from the bottom nightmare scenarios. If you hire a professional plumber for an annual inspection, you should be able to avoid all kinds of troubles. Don’t forget that your water heater is susceptible to a vast assortment of issues. It may develop water main rusting. It may develop annoying tripped breakers as well. Maintenance can stop so many issues from rearing their ugly heads. That’s how it can help you save a pretty penny in the long run. If you perform maintenance, you may be able to dodge all kinds of complex issues that can bring on lasting water damage and more.
How Long Will a Water Heater Last After It Starts Leaking?
Don’t assume that a water heater that’s leaking is necessarily history. As always, it’s a case-by-case scenario. If your water heater leak is connected to an issue with your drain valve, then it may have a lot of life left in it. If your water heater leaking, on the other hand, is connected to tank splitting or cracking, that’s a whole other ballgame. Unit longevity corresponds to so many things. It often corresponds with specific leak locations, too. If your leaking comes from the bottom of the tank, that’s one type of problem. If it comes from the drain valve, that’s another situation entirely. Water heaters in general have lifespans of between 12 and 15 years in total. If you go above and beyond to take proper care of your water heater, it may reward you with superior longevity. You should examine other factors regularly such as how long
Will a Leaking Water Heater Explode?
If your water heater is leaking, chances are it has a pretty straightforward solution. Remember, that solution may involve nothing more than simple drain valve replacement. While some heater leak dilemmas are rather innocuous and basic, there are others that are the polar opposite. A pressure relief valve leak may cause your unit to explode, believe it or not. If you have relief valve leakage, the tank may have immoderate pressure or heat. The goal in this case is to release pressure, period.
Don’t forget about the possibility of gas line leaks. Cold water or hot water leaks are in no way the only option. If you pick up on a horrible odor close to your water heater, you should pay careful attention. A stench that’s reminiscent of rotten eggs may denote an interior gas leak. You should never brush off this kind of noticeable smell. This is an emergency situation that demands prompt service from a hard-working, trained and experienced plumber, plain and simple.
It’s imperative to stay on top of things that may help you prevent hazardous unit explosions. You should see to it that your temperature pressure relief valve is always completely operational. If it’s not, you have to replace it immediately. Think about the temperature of your water heater as well. You should maintain a temperature of anywhere between 120 and 125 degrees. A temperature that exceeds 125 degrees may raise internal heat. It may give off water that’s intensely and dangerously hot, too. Don’t hire professional plumbers without doing ample research. If you allow a plumber who isn’t licensed to do work for you, that could lead to all kinds of dangerous situations that you simply don’t need.
Contact the Hard-Working and Responsive Tankless, Electric and Gas Water Heater Wizards at Emergency Plumbing Squad
Are you anxious about water heater leakage? Contact Emergency Plumbing Squad to make an appointment for reliable, safe and efficient water heater repair service. Our plumbers can assist you with pinhole leaks, drain valve malfunctioning, cold water inlet pipe concerns, water supply questions, electric models, broken drain valve headaches, tankless water heaters, water supply matters, water sensors and tank woes in general. Never play guessing games about gas water heater issues, pressure relief valve functioning or anything else. If you have other questions, such as how long for a water heater to heat up or anything else related, don’t worry, we’ve tried our best to make our site as resourceful as possible on these types of subjects so you can find the correct answer to your questions.