If you suspect that you have a leak from the top turn off the power to your water heater.
Electric water heater leaking from top.
Another reason your hot water heater may be leaking at the top could be because.
3 connection that releases pressure.
Check the plumbing pipes above the water heater using a stepladder if necessary.
For a gas water heater turn the thermostat control to the off position.
The first thing that you should do is go to your electrical panel and turn off the breaker that is marked water heater.
Your pipe fittings are loose.
If the leak is just a few drops then you can wait a day or two and see if the leak continues.
Sometimes valves in these overhead pipes can begin to secrete water and of course gravity brings it down.
It s on the cold water pipe which supplies water to the water heater.
In most cases when a water heater is leaking from the top it s usually pretty easy to pinpoint to leak.
A drip from above can easily leak down on top of the water heater and even work its way down the insulation and make it look like the leak is coming from the tank itself.
A leak that is originating from the top of a water heater if caught in a timely manner is almost always repairable.
To do this locate the cold water shut off valve on the pipe.
One of the most common reasons your hot water heater may be leaking at the top could be due.
The next step is to shut off the water supply to the tank.
Two places it may be leaking from include.
If your hot water heater is leaking from the top follow these tips faulty water inlet valves.
Find the cold water inlet valve.
From its base where it screws into the water heater from the piping attached to the t p relief valve and also coming out of the open end of the pipe.
The first place to check is the plumbing pipes above the water heater.
Water heater is leaking from pressure relief valve if the water heater is dripping from the top then all you have to do is replace the pressure relief valve.
Leaks from the top of the water heater are usually caused by one of the three connections at the top as shown in the diagram below.
2 connection that generates cold water.
Now take a garden hose and attach it securely to.
If it hasn t rained in awhile or you have an electric hot water heater leaking on top then carefully check the copper plumbing directly above your tank.
If your valve is located on the top of your water heater like in the picture below check to see where it s leaking from.
The valve is usually a lever or a knob type valve.
However if not fixed promptly these types of leaks can lead to serious and costly damage as water travels down the exterior of your water heater.