In the United States, 10,000 gallons of water are wasted yearly in water leaks. Additionally, 10% of most US households have plumbing issues, and the waste accumulates to 32 850 gallons annually. So any leak has to be taken care of as quickly as possible.
You must immediately take action if you notice a leak in your water heater. The leak in a water heater may look minor, but it can escalate into a bigger problem. The average water heater contains a 50-gallon tank. Some cold water refills it back to capacity whenever the water leaves the tank.
When the tank constantly refills, the leak that surrounds your tank could quickly flood. The size of the leak becomes irrelevant because even a tiny amount of water coming out of a water tank can damage the surroundings of your tank. A flood could also happen, and this could result in a very high repair bill when you’re faced with fixing the floors and walls and the water heater tank.
Water damage is not the easiest to repair and can cost a lot of money depending on the damage it has caused in your surroundings. If you want to stop your water leakage, stick with us, we will give you a guide that will take you through and give you all the tools to fix that water leak.
Make sure there is a water leak.
If you’re fixing a water leak, always ensure there is a water leak. At times it could just be an accumulation of the air condensed and forming some water droplets outside the tank’s surface. You must conduct a full house leak check to determine if you have a leak.
You can monitor your water meter by observing it. When you find the water meter, ensure no taps are open in the house. Shut down taps that pour water into the bathroom and fixtures. If the meter continues to move, it means you have a leak.
Causes and Common Places of a Water Tank Leak
There are many causes of a water tank leak. Here we will mention a few common causes associated with a water tank leak.
Condensation- always determine if the water you see is a real leak or just condensation.
Unknown location – sometimes, the actual area where the leak is can’t be seen, and you’ll only see a pool of water under the unit. this typically happens if the pressure level is too high.
A leak from the bottom. This type of Leak is either a minor problem or could mean total replacement to your water heater unit.
Top leaks when water leaks from the top of the tank; the common problem is usually the inlet and outlet tubes.
A leak can also be found in the tank, which is impossible to detect from the outside. The water will often be seen at the bottom of the unit, but it does not mean the leak is from there. The aging of a tank commonly causes this type of leak.
What You’ll Need to Fix It
We have taken a further step and put together the tools and materials you need to prepare to fix the leak you might have in your home.
Equipment / Tools
The standard set of equipment that you usually need is a ladder, a wrench, and some plumbers’ tape.
Materials
Depending on the leak by the materials, you would usually need a temperature and pressure release valve, a drain valve, water heater connectors, water heater flex tubes, and a water heater for a complete replacement.
Step by Step Procedure
Fixing the leak from a heater depends on the leak’s location. We will outline a step-by-step process to help you check how to repair your heater or call the professionals.
Check your Water Supply
Check your plumbing pipes at the top of the water heater. The leak could affect the insulation as the leak will look like it is from the tank.
The water heater has plumbing pipes that you should check. You should pay attention to the water supply. These are commonly known as supply tubes that are flexible or rigid connections. If there is insulation around them, remove it.
You can replace the flex water lines; you must switch off the heater first. Next, shut down the water off the water heater. If the water is off, there shouldn’t be any water flowing out.
Check the Water Heater Connectors
The next thing to do when doing a water heater repair is to check the water heater connectors on the heater. Another place where there is commonly a leak is the cold water inlet pipe which connects to the water heater until the hot water end pipe. If you change the supply tube and you still see a leak, then the connector is the problem. This is where the wrench comes in.
Examine the Temperature and Pressure (T&P) Valve
The T&P valve is another common place for leaks. The leak at the T& P valve is a much bigger problem and takes time to find. A leaking T&P valve commonly indicates the pressure in the water in your home. If it is too high, the pressure regulator is not working correctly.
If the water heater produces extremely high-temperature water, then the pressure may cause the valve to leak. A possible solution to this is to reduce the temperature of the water.
Try all the steps; if you still can’t determine the problem, please contact a professional who will assess and fix the situation.
Examine the Drain
You could find a leak in the water heater in the valve at the bottom. A drain valve usually doesn’t close properly after flushing your water heater. You could replace the old valve with the new one with the hose cap.
Finally…
The tank could have gone bad if all the abovementioned inspections didn’t work. Remember fixing the leak is essential to preserving your water heater’s life.
