Why is my Water Heater Leaking?

If you’ve noticed a leak coming from your water heater, then it’s time to call a plumber. Whether the problem is small or more serious, ignoring leaks coming from your water heater will inevitably lead to bigger problems down the line.

Let’s look at the most common reasons that hot water heaters leak.

Loose Connections

The least serious cause of a leak is a loose connection somewhere between your hot water heater and the water running in or out of it. If a pipes connectors are not tightened enough you will get a small, slow leak. While this isn’t a major issue, this small leak over time can lead to water loss, which will result in an increased water bill.

Slow leaks can also eventually lead to more damage, because water will slowly wear on the exterior parts of the water heater. Leaks like this can also cause damage to the surrounding floor or walls if left unattended too long.

Fortunately, this is a simple fix of just tightening the connectors, but to be safe it is smart to have a plumber take a look to ensure that is the only source of a leak.

Faulty Parts

Over time valves in your hot water tank, such as the pressure valve and the temperature valve can begin to degrade and stop working properly. If your leak is a result of one of these valves you’ll be able to see the water leaking from them.

In these cases the valves will need to be replaced, but it is still important to have a plumber take a look and do the replacement, as they will check to make sure there isn’t an underlying problem that caused the valves to leak in the first place.

Corrosion

Finally, the cause of most major water tank leaks is corrosion. This is what most people fear when they see water around their water heater. Over time the water sitting in the heater can corrode the bottom of the water heater and create a hole in the bottom.

In this case the water heater will need to be replaced, which is costly, but necessary. If you fear this is the cause of your leak, it is important to contact a plumber as soon as possible, as the water can damage the floor and surrounding walls, leading to an even more expensive repair.

If you’ve recently discovered a slow leak coming from your water heater call us at Michael Runk Plumbing and Heating today. Our team offers water heater service in Eldersburg, Maryland. We can work quickly to diagnose and resolve your water heater problem to help prevent any further damage. Give us a call today!