It’s cold, and you want a warm bath, but when you’re about to get your shower, you notice that hot water is not running sufficiently. You had in mind that there may be a leak somewhere. You finally discovered a water heater leak, but you have no time to fix it. If your water heater is located in your basement or a closet, it could cause major damage to your floor and walls before you discover it. Moreover, a leak can also cause flooding in your basement. Even a drip of water that remains unattended can lead to formation of mold or mildew causing walls to rot. If you have no time to fix the leak by yourself, you better call a professional plumber.

DIY fixing of water heater leak:

• Shut off the circuit breaker to cut electricity to the water heater before you start working. Put off the water supply to prevent flooding in your home.
• If water is being discharged, it means that the valve is already defective, or your water heater is running at a high temperature or pressure.
• Make sure that the water temperature is set at around 120 degrees F. But if the valve is still leaking, take it out and check if there are signs of corrosion and mineral buildup. The minerals can clog the valve or damage the metal parts that can cause valve failure.
• When you have found the precise location of the leak, empty your water heater tank by using a bucket or other containers.
• If you see that the valve is clean, there may be 2 possible causes: high pressure of water in the municipal system or there is a ‘backflow preventer’ in your water meter or main water shutoff. In this case, you need the services of a reputable plumbing company to diagnose the leak problem and solve it.

Preventive measures to avoid a water heater leak:

You should flush the water heater often to get rid of sediment that accumulates at the bottom of your tank. If you have a brass drain valve, you can change the washer. You’ll find it easy but time consuming to fix the leak in your water heater because you have to turn off the water and empty the tank. This is the reason why many homeowners prefer to call an expert plumber offering flat rate on materials and labor to fix their water heater leak.