Water Heater Leaking
moderate 20–60 min
Tools: flashlight, towels and a bucket, adjustable wrench, garden hose · Materials: a new temperature-and-pressure relief valve if that is the drip, pipe thread tape
Steps
- Find where the water starts: dry everything, lay paper towels, and watch — the top fittings, the relief valve pipe, the drain valve, or the seam at the bottom of the tank.
- Water from the top fittings: shut the cold supply valve, and tighten a weeping compression nut a quarter turn; a corroded fitting needs replacing.
- Water from the relief-valve pipe: the valve is doing its job if the pressure or temperature is too high, or it has failed if it drips constantly — either way the plumber checks the pressure.
- Water from the drain valve: fit a garden hose cap over the outlet as a stop-gap and replace the valve when the tank is next drained.
- Water from the bottom of the tank with no other source: the tank has rusted through — shut the cold supply and the gas valve or electric breaker, and plan a replacement; it will not get better.
- Drain the tank through the hose to the outside or a floor drain if it is failing, so a burst does not flood the room.
Stop and call a pro if
- the leak is from the tank body — shut off the water and the fuel and call today
- the heater is gas and you smell gas, or the burner area is wet
- the relief valve is discharging hot water — the pressure or temperature control has failed
- the water is over 65 °C (150 °F) at the taps
Rules in the Netherlands: Vervanging van een gasgestookte boiler of cv-ketel hoort bij een erkend installateur (BRL 6000); elektrische boilers mogen alleen door een vakman worden aangesloten.
What a pro does that you can't
A plumber replaces a failed relief or drain valve, tests the system pressure and adds an expansion tank where needed, and replaces a rusted tank the same day with the gas or electrical work done to code.
DIY cost: $0–20 for tape and a hose cap; $15–30 for a relief valve