A water heater leak can cause a lot more damage to your home than you might first imagine upon finding the water. It may seem inconvenient, and you might be tempted to ignore it, or just set a towel down or a bowl to catch the water, but it can quickly become a big problem.
If you think you have a water heater leak, the first thing to do is find the source of the water and verify that it is indeed the water heater and not from another source. Once you have determined that you do indeed have a water heater leak, the next step is turn off the power supply (gas or electric). Electric water heaters can be turned off at the circuit breaker, and a gas water heater can be turned off with the on/off knob, which will kill the pilot light flame. The water is going to be hot, and the power source is going to continue to keep it so hot, so be careful, or you could be facing a major burn injury.
Once you’ve turned off the power source, turn off the water source to the water heater. The lever to shut off the water is usually at the top of the water heater on the cold water pipeline. There is also generally a master shutoff lever if you cannot get to the first lever. Then find the exact source of the leak. It is possible to fix a water heater leak in some cases, but more often than not, it’s time to get a new water heater.
If you are unable to do the job yourself or if you want assistance with repair or replacement or your water heater, call in our professionals at Ace Hardware Home Services. A water heater leak can cause major damage to the structure of your home, leaving water damage and hidden mold behind. It is always wise to care for a water heater leak immediately rather than risk major damage and extreme expenses later. The longer a leak is ignored, the more damage is done, so don’t delay!