Water Heater Leaking Repair Information

If you have a water heater leaking,  you will find useful information  here enabling you to first of all locate the leak, unless of course it is obvious, and then determine whether you can attempt a repair yourself or call in a plumber to repair it for you.

Emergency shut down

If water is gushing from either the water tank itself or associated pipes then you need to immediately shut off the cold water supply feeding the tank. Before shutting off the water you MUST switch off the boilers gas or electricity supply.

To switch off the gas supply – locate the flexible gas supply pipe, this can usually be found on the left of the heater, follow the pipe to the gas shut off valve and turn the lever a quarter of a turn.

To switch off the electricity supply – locate the cable supplying the heater and follow it back until you see a switch or circuit breaker, switch off the electric supply.

To shut off the cold water supply – The cold water feed is usually located at the top of the tank, on the right hand side, locate the cold water line and follow it away from the heater until you come to a gate valve, turn the valve’s handle fully clockwise. If there is no gate valve then the whole water system will have to be drained and that procedure is beyond the scope of this article.

Locating the source of the leak

If the leak is just an occasional drip then there is no need to shut down the heater, however you do need to find the source of the leak before it becomes a major problem. Although you may have a pool of water beneath your  heater this does not necessarily mean you have a leak. A common problem with water heaters is condensation, this occurs when large amounts of cold water fill the tank, for instance after someone has run a bath, condensation forms on the outside of the tank, runs down the outside and forms a pool of water beneath the water heater.

This is particularly noticeable in the winter when the incoming water is very cold, if the problem disappears in the warmer months then this indicates a condensation problem. The only solution to this problem is to cover the tank with a water tank jacket, these provide a layer of insulation which prevents condensation forming on the outside of the tank .

Possible sources of the water leaks are;

The temperature pressure relief valve – The valve is located on top of the heater, water seeping from this valve is not a leak as such, the valve is simply doing its job, which is to release water when excess pressure is detected. Excess pressure can be caused by the thermostat temperature being set too high, a faulty thermostat or the main water supply pressure to your home being very high. The valve itself may also be faulty. If you determine that this is the source of seeping water it is advisable to consult a qualified water heater repair person as too much pressure could cause the tank to explode.

Water pipes – If water is dripping from the water pipes connected to your heater, then use a wrench to tighten the fitting from where the water is leaking, dry the fitting and area below and check back later to see if you have stopped the leak, if not you will need to replace the fitting.

Drain valve – The drain valve is located at the bottom of the heater, if it is leaking first ensure the valve is fully closed by turning the handle fully clockwise, if it does not have a handle and is the plastic type, take hold of the fixture and turn it fully clockwise. If after doing this the valve is still leaking, it is faulty and will need to be replaced.

Electric heating element gasket – If water is seeping from the heating element gasket, the gasket needs to be replaced, this is not a simple job and requires special tools, therefore  it is advisable to seek the help of a qualified repair person to replace the gasket.

Water tank – Water heater tanks have a limited life, usually around 10 years, leaks can spring from anywhere on the tank and the cause is rust or corrosion. When the leak starts it will usually be small but after time will gradually become worse, so as soon as it is noticed you should arrange to have the it replaced as soon as possible.

We hope you found this article about repairing a water heater useful.