If you are a trained plumber, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue for you. However, if you are panicking, not knowing what to do, look no further than this guide.
In this article, we will show you exactly what you need to do upon the discovery of a leak coming from the top of your hot water heater.
Why A Hot Water Heater May Be Leaking From The Top?
It would be beneficial to start at the beginning, and determine how this circumstance has developed, before we begin to examine the risks associated with a leaky water heater.
You should keep this in mind so that you can take precautionary action in the future.
Unfortunately, with many of these circumstances, there will be little that you can do to prevent a leak from occurring.
Sometimes, a water heater will simply start to leak, and you will be unable to know that it is happening until you have seen it for yourself.
By keeping an eye on your water heater, you will be more likely to catch a leak quickly, which will mean that you will be able to react as quickly as possible in the event.
That being said, here are a couple of reasons why a hot water heater may begin to leak from the top:
The tank, itself, may be leaking.
The water heater may be deteriorating due to its age. Like most things in the world, a water heater will become weaker over time, which may lead to weakened areas inside. This will lead to leaks.
There may be loose pipes fitted inside the water heater.
Some of the inner valves may be loose.
The expansion tank may be leaking.
The anode rod port may have corroded.
The cold water inlet valve may be malfunctioning.
How To Identify A Hot Water Heater Leak
Because they are usually installed in private spaces throughout your home, water heaters are challenging to monitor round-the-clock. As a result, if a leak were to take place, you could fail to be able to notice them clearly at first.
It will become quite evident that your water heater has started to leak when leaks start to show up in the plumbing in your home, or when they become visible through the ceiling or a neighboring wall.
If you see water pooling at the bottom of your water heater, experience an interruption of hot water pressure in the plumbing, or a drop of pressure throughout the home, you should check on your water heater immediately.
If the leak is above another room, you may notice that the ceiling of the room below will begin to distort from the dampness.
Since a leak will cause a lot of water damage, it is so important that you know how to deal with the situation immediately.
If you leave the leak unattended for too long, the damage may become unmanageable, and you will be stuck in a sticky – or, wet – situation.
How To Fix A Leaking Hot Water Heater
As we mentioned earlier, it is absolutely essential that you know how to deal with a leaking hot water heater. The sooner you can deal with the problem, the sooner you can relax, knowing that minimal damage has been done.
The most influential thing to remember, initially, is to not panic. This is a solvable situation, and can easily be fixed providing that you keep a cool head.
So, here is how you can fix a leaking hot water heater.
Switch Off The Water Heater
Turning off the water supply will be your first priority in order to limit the amount of water damage.
If you fail to do this, the leak will continue to spread, filling the room with water, and potentially damaging some of your personal possessions.
Additionally, you should shut off the power source at the same time.
Locate Where The Leak Is Coming From
The next step will be to locate exactly where the leak is coming from, and from there, work out why it may be happening. Depending on the location and the reason for the leak, it may be easier for you to work out how to fix it.
The cold water inlet valve, expansion tank, anode rod screw, pipe fittings, T&P relief valve, or the tank as a whole are the most typical sources of leaks at the top of a water heater.
Fix The Issue (Or Call A Professional)
Finally, you are going to want to patch the hot water heater up, fixing the leak. This will need to be done fairly quickly to minimize the overall damage in your home.
We cannot stress enough that you should not attempt to fix it if you have no experience with this kind of scenario, as your attempts to fix the leak may result in further damage.
If you have no experience with fixing hot water heaters, and you already know that you are going to need to call for professional help, you could complete this step before the previous one.
While you wait for the plumber to arrive, you can then attempt to locate the leak.
Final Thoughts
There are so many reasons why a hot water heater may begin to leak from the top, and with a bit of investigating, you may be able to work out exactly why this has happened.
However, the most important things to do are to remain calm, and to call for back up if you require professional assistance.
We recommend keeping a plumber’s contact details on hand in your home so that you can call them as soon as possible in the event of an emergency.
Hi everyone! My name is Jason, and I am the founder of HeaterWise.com. Having run my own business as a Heating Engineer for 21 years, I have picked up a few things along the way.
I wanted to create Heater Wise as a place where anyone could come, from far and wide, to find the information that they need.
I hope you will join us here at Heater Wise, to get started on your own journey, to expand your knowledge, and make the best heating choices for you and your family.
