Sources of Washington DC Water Heater Leaks

Water Heater leaks occur frm tim t time. Unl thr i a big quantity f water draining ut f th
tank someplace, flooding n home, thr i n rn t b afraid th worst. !n ithr circumstance,
swiftly offer us a call nd w will gt th water heater leakage tkn care f quickly.
!n rgrd t identifying whr th leak i "ming from, blw r th likl# locations.
TPR Valve
$n f th mt typical locations fr a hot water heater t leak i frm th temperature le%el pressure
relief %al%e, l called th &'( r &)(. &hi %ital gadget releases water whn th temperature r
pressure inside th tank e*ceeds safe design tolerances. &h &)( i a brass %al%e found close t th top
f th water heater, with a release pipe tht typically diminishes t a safe area a fw inches ff th floor.
+ftr years f ser%ice, th %al%es commonly de%elop a dripping leak. &est th %al%e b# lifting th
attached le%er fr a ,nd r more. !f th resulting hot water discharge fails t "lr deterioration ut f
th %al%e nd stop th leakage, it- tim t replace th %al%e. .hanging a leaky &)( %al%e i a fairly
easy /ob, but call a plumbing technician if th %al%e i frequently discharging blasts f hot water, r if
th nw %al%e leakages mu"h lik th ld one. 0ithr circumstance "n b n indication f a mr
ma/or plumbing issue.
Inlet nd Outlet
&h source f a hot water heater-s leakage might likewise occur t th tank inlet r outlet. 1ue t th
fact tht th tank connections r made frm steel nd th pipes connected t thm r regularly copper,
gal%anic corrosion "n happen, slowly wearing dwn th steel nd triggering water t leak frm th
connections. 2u"h a leakage "n b dangerous, re%ealing itlf nt a puddle hw%r n e%er3
growing patch f deterioration rund th connections r a rusty streak running dwn th id f th
tank tht- easy t miss r disregard. 0%entually, nonetheless, a significant leakage will de%elop. &h
cure i t "hng th brif areas f rusty gal%ani4ed pipe with sections lined in plastic, frequently called
dielectric nipple areas. +lthugh it- a simple task, it d require a fair amount f strength nd
potentially soldering skills, assess #ur capabilities appropriately.
Drain
+ leaky tank drain %al%e uull# re%eals u5 fllwing routine upkeep. +ftr draining a fw gallons f
water frm th hot water heater t "lr th tank f sediment, th tank drain %al%e "uld n mr close
properly, enabling a stable trickle t stream ut f th spout. 6enerally, ithr th washer in th %al%e
h "tull# corroded nd n longer forms a seal, r gunk i blocking th %al%e nd triggering it t stay
partially open. +nthr blast f water m# stop th leak, but if it d nt #u require a nw %al%e.
7"u th ma/ority f hot water heater drain %al%es r comparable t standard garden faucets, thi
/ob i typically within th capabilities f n amateur plumbing professional. &urn th heater ff nd lt
th water cool first, nd b forewarned tht gtting th threaded nd f th %al%e ut f th tank i ftn
rthr hard. & pre%ent future troubles nd make draining easier, u a full3port brass ball %al%e a
replacement.
Othr Leaks
&h ma/ority f hot water heaters h% t lt n anode rod threaded int th top f th tank t
manage deterioration, nd leakage "n h55n rund th threads. +lthugh loosening th rods in-t
rll# easy, re3installing thm with a fw wraps f plumbing professional-s sealing tape rund th
threads mut stop th leakage. 0lectric hot water heater elements r l threaded int th tank. +
leakage right hr "n b "m b# changing th aspect-s rubber gasket. +lthugh th thermostat n a
gas heater i threaded int th tank nd "n de%elop a leak, remo%ing nd replacing thm i a delicate
task finest left t n e*pert.
Th Tank
!f n e*tensi%e in%estigation f ll th typical suspects till lea%es n une*plained puddle blw #ur
hot water heater, b prepared fr m bad news. 6t hold f a flashlight nd inspect rund th base.
Water flying th seams f th metal coat r damp insulation rund th burner r heating element
e*amination door r indications f a leaking tank. (outine maintenance "n e*tend th life f a hot
water heater considerably, specifically regulating corrosion nd routinely gtting rid f sediment.
Hw%r whn a tank begins t leak, #u nd t start shopping fr a brand3new hot water heater.
Resources!
Water Heater (epair Washington 1.-s blog
8ore 0ducation )19-s