Electric Water Heater Leaking From Bottom

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.

Electric water heater leaking from bottom.

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. Although these are the two most common causes of a leaking water heater they are not always the culprits. If the leak is coming from the bottom of the tank it is not looking good for you.

This is good news because it may look like your water heater is leaking from the bottom but it actually isn t. Eventually the bottom of the tank will rust through and begin to leak. 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. If the leakage becomes too serious and has filled the overflow pan begin by emptying the entire tank.

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. Temperature relief valve learn more about a t p valve. The next step is to shut off the water supply to the tank. A leak in the drain valve at the bottom of the water heater is another common issue.

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. 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. Locate the drain valve as it can be found at the base of the tank. A water heater leaking from bottom is something to pay attention to seriously.

To do this locate the cold water shut off valve on the pipe. Below is a list of the four most probable causes of a leak in your water heater. After draining or flushing a water heater it is common for the drain valve to fail to close completely. The first thing that you should do is go to your electrical panel and turn off the breaker that is marked water heater.

The drain valve looks like this. Once the tank is empty shut the drain valve and. This drain valve can be capped with a hose cap or you can replace the drain valve completely with a new valve. Now take a garden hose and attach it securely to.

If the leak is here good news the repair is simple and relatively inexpensive. 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.