Electric Water Heater Leaking From Bottom

This is caused by years of sediment building up in the bottom of the water heater tank.

Electric water heater leaking from bottom.

If during your sleuthing you determined the leak wasn t coming from any of the above spots the trouble is at the bottom of the. Turn off the power or your gas supply to your hot water heater in addition to closing the inlet valve on the top of your. If the leakage becomes too serious and has filled the overflow pan begin by emptying the entire tank. Temperature relief valve learn more about a t p valve.

Most water heaters last between 10 to 13 years and if one is leaking from the bottom of the tank inside the burner compartment old age might be the cause. This drain valve can be capped with a hose cap or you can replace the drain valve completely with a new valve. Below is a list of the four most probable causes of a leak in your water heater. Locate the drain valve as it can be found at the base of the tank.

To do this locate the cold water shut off valve on the pipe. Attach one end of a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of your tank and stick the other end in a safe place to. Now take a garden hose and attach it securely to. Once the tank is empty shut the drain valve and.

If you notice any moisture your water heater is most likely leaking due to the t p valve. The drain valve looks like this. The first places to check if it appears that you have a leak from the bottom of your water heater are the drain valve and temperature pressure relief valve t p valve. If the leak is coming from the bottom of the tank it is not looking good for you.

The first thing that you should do is go to your electrical panel and turn off the breaker that is marked water heater. The leak may actually be at the top of the water heater and simply running down through the body of the heater before escaping at a lower level. Eventually the bottom of the tank will rust through and begin to leak. A water heater leaking from bottom is something to pay attention to seriously.

A leak in the drain valve at the bottom of the water heater is another common issue. After draining or flushing a water heater it is common for the drain valve to fail to close completely. If the leak is here good news the repair is simple and relatively inexpensive. The most likely scenario in this case is that sediment has built up and corroded the bottom of the tank causing a serious problem and the need for an entirely new water heater.

Although these are the two most common causes of a leaking water heater they are not always the culprits. Replace the water heater if the leak is at the bottom of the tank. You just need a plumber to replace the faulty drain valve.