Electric Water Heater Leaking From Bottom

If the leakage becomes too serious and has filled the overflow pan begin by emptying the entire tank.

Electric water heater leaking from bottom.

To do this locate the cold water shut off valve on the pipe. A leak in the drain valve at the bottom of the water heater is another common issue. 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. 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.

The drain valve looks like this. 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. This is good news because it may look like your water heater is leaking from the bottom but it actually isn t. This drain valve can be capped with a hose cap or you can replace the drain valve completely with a new valve.

Replace the water heater if the leak is at the bottom of the tank. Although these are the two most common causes of a leaking water heater they are not always the culprits. 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. Now take a garden hose and attach it securely to.

After draining or flushing a water heater it is common for the drain valve to fail to close completely. 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. The drain valve the spigot at the bottom of the tank that drains the water heater of sediment the water heater s tank. If you notice any moisture your water heater is most likely leaking due to the t p valve.

If the leak is coming from the bottom of the tank it is not looking good for you. 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. Temperature relief valve learn more about a t p valve.

Below is a list of the four most probable causes of a leak in your water heater. If the leak is here good news the repair is simple and relatively inexpensive. You just need a plumber to replace the faulty drain valve. This is caused by years of sediment building up in the bottom of the water heater tank.

Once the tank is empty shut the drain valve and. 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. The next step is to shut off the water supply to the tank.