Symptoms Of A Leaky Water Heater
Were you disturbed to find a puddle of water at the bottom of your water heater tank? Or were you shocked to see the rotting shelves of your cabinet, damaged by water seeping from your water heater?
A leaky water heater is one of the most common problems for water heater users.
Leaking can occur at the top of the tank, or at the bottom of the tank.
Usually leaking is related to the temperature and pressure valve (TP valve) which controls the pressure within the water heater tank.
Some times, leakages may be caused by corrosion.
When water stays in the tube, sediments form and rusting occurs, leading to a cavity or an indentation forming in the tube. Water then seep out through these cavities thus flooding your floor.
This will lead to untold damage of your floor and ceiling, racking up huge restorative costs.
3 Reasons Why Your Water Heater Leak
- Wear And Tear: Over time, certain parts in your water heater could become rusty or faulty, thus resulting in water leakages.
- Poor Plumbing Connections: Your water heater may not have been properly installed, hence the loose connections is causing water to leak from your water heater.
- Poor Maintenance: Like all appliances, we need to check our water heater from time to time. This will ensure it performs efficiently, saves us money and prevent accidents from happening.
How To Locate A Water Heater Leak
- Check the cold and hot water pipe connectors and inlets. Make sure all the connections are tight and properly installed or fitted.
- Turn off the power source (very important!)
- Switch off the water source.
- Check the TP valve and overflow tube. The temperature may have been set too high and the high pressure in the tank is causing the valve to open gradually and causing the leak. Or if the valve is faulty, replace it with a new one.
- Check the drain valve of the water heater. Try capping with a garden hose cap. Or if the drain valve is faulty, replace it with a new one.
- If water is leaking from the bottom of the tank, either there is rusting of the heating element or the water tank itself.
- If water is leaking from the top of the tank, it usually means the inner steel tank is rusty and the anode rods depleted.
Water Heater Pipe Leakage
The problem does not just lie with a leaking water heater, in fact, you may even face a leaking water heater pipe.
And when that happens, it is going to be a big job – with hacking and re-piping involved.
When in doubt, feel free to contact our trusted plumbers to conduct an on-site inspection. Only then can they offer you their professional advice, and we can work out the most cost effective solution to your problem.
Regular Maintenance Of Water Heater
The key to extending the lifespan of your water heater is to perform regular checks and maintenance on it, just as you regularly send your car to the mechanic for maintenance.
Flushing your water heater once a year prevents the build up of calcium carbonate sediments, which reduces heating efficiency and drives up your water bills.
With so many problems that may cause your water heater to leak, it is better to consult our professional plumber to help troubleshoot the area of leakage.
As with other electrical appliances, there are many safety precautions to take while inspecting and repairing the water heater. Hence it is better to leave the job to our plumbing experts.
If the leaky water heater cannot be repaired, you would be advised to replace the faulty heater.
Contact us for an appointment now.