Most water heaters are located in a home’s garage up against the wall closest to the house , near a water source maybe by the washer and dryer units. you may come home to find water or a spot that seems to be squishy underneath your floor or carpet close to the garage. You may have noticed that a small puddle is pooling around be the hound the area by the water heater. This could ,mean you have a leaky water heater. There also may be some other reasons there is water around your water and those need to be ruled out.

There are some things you can do to avoid a water heater leak and prevent costly repairs or having to replace your  water heater altogether.

Condensation on your water Heater

The most common issue related to water pooling around your gas water heater is condensation. Condensation can build up on the outside of your water heater for many reasons including temperature change.

Condensation on a Gas Hot Water Heater

Gas water heaters can produce condensation that is essentially harmless but can come across as a leak. There are several ways to identify whether its condensation or a leak.

• Remove water from under the water heater with a dry towel
• Turn off the gas
• keep an eye on the water heater for several hours to see if the water returns
• if the water doesn’t return than it was more likely condensation.

Condensation on an Electric Water Heater

Electric water heaters are different than gas water heaters. The source of condensation with an electric water heater may be the hot tank in a cold room. You can test this by wiping down the tank and seeing if it returns shortly. If it does return to the tank it ‘s most likely condensation.

Look for other causes

There may be another reason for water being in the area by your water heater like; Your furnace or AC unit maybe near the area and maybe leaking. Also, all of your plumbing and water lines are located near and around the water heater and maybe one of these lines is the cause of the leak. Finding leaks and cracked pipes might not be something that your comfortable with, if not now is the time to call a professional plumber. Streamline plumbing will come to any business or home and can diagnose what’s causing the water leaks by the water heater to if it is the water heater.

Once you have found a water heater leak

There are few steps you can take after you have figured out you have a water heater leak:

1. Turn off the power supply-this means to turn off the gas for gas water heaters and the electricity for electric water heaters. Since leaking water and electric are not friends it is crucial that the power supply is turned off. Again if your not comfortable with turning these things off call the processionals at Streamline Plumbing. Never try to address any issues with gas pipes and valves as this is dangerous and only a professional should attempt this. To try and turn off the power supply you will need to locate the the power breaker for electric heaters and the gas turn off for the gas water heater.
2. Turn off the Water Supply-You should turn off the water to the house or business at the main water supply. Once you turn off the main water supply you should also turn the water off to the water heater particularly the cold water supply. There is a valve to turn off the water supply to the water heater located on the front of the heater, Turning this off prevents further damage to the water heater and the surrounding areas.
3. Establish the source of your leak-These are several causes for a water heater leak including: A cracked or corroded water tank, loose or faulty pipe fittings, pressure valves that damaged,  and a worn out abode rode that protects the hot water tank from corrosion.

Water leaking from the top

Pooling water from the top of the water heater could be the lines that  bring water into the water heater. Usually you’ll need to tighten the valves that connect to your water heater. The valves also may need to be replaced.

Water Leaking from the side

This is usually caused by the temperature pressure relief valve. The temperature pressure relief valve is a safety measure that allows for hot water and steam to discharge from the water heater tank when there is too much pressure inside the water heater.

Water leaking from the bottom

A water heater leaking from the bottom is usually due to the drain valve. The drain valve allows the water to be emptied when service is needed . like a maintenance  repair.

Depending on the issue you may need to replace the drain valve if there is any corrosion, if there isn’t any corrosion you may be able to tighten the valve.

Other possible causes for a water heater leak

There are several other issues that may be causing your water heater leak including a corroded anode rod , or the rod that keeps the water heater from corroding needs to be replaced. The tank might also have a crack in it and may need to be replaced. Both of these will require an experienced plumber to diagnose and repair or replace your water heater.

Should You Replace or Repair Your Water Heater

If you notice that your water heater is leaking contact a plumber immediately to come inspect the problem. At Streamline we offer free inspection services and free estimates.

If your water heater is over ten years old it may be time to replace it and get a new high efficiency water heater. New water heaters come with many advantages:

• high energy efficient heating
• improved safety features
• energy efficient
• warranty
• In some cases a new water heater might be more cost effective than repairing the old one, but only an experienced plumber can tell you that.

Why Streamline Plumbing 

We offer free estimates for all repairs including water heaters

We have been a family owned business in Orange County and Irvine for over 25 years 

We will give you a free second opinion if you feel your previous bid was to high 

We guarantee all of our installations and repairs on all plumbing jobs including tankless water heater installation We are Orange County’s  premier plumbing company for gas leaks in Irvine.

Even if you just need regular tank water heaters, our water heater experts can repair or replace any water heater, call Streamline Plumbing  today.