Why Is Water Heater Leaking From Top

Is the leak on the top of the water heater if so continue on to the section below labeled my water heater is leaking from the top.

Why is water heater leaking from top.

In most cases when a water heater is leaking from the top it s usually pretty easy to pinpoint to leak. Leaks from the top of the water heater are usually caused by one of the three connections at the top as shown in the diagram below. Water leaking from your water heater is a bad sign regardless of where the leak is coming from. Many water heater tanks have their temperature and pressure relieve valve positioned on the side of the tank.

The valve is usually a lever or a knob type valve. If the hole is large and water begins to pool underneath the water heater than you need to call a plumber. It s on the cold water pipe which supplies water to the water heater. If your valve is located on the top of your water heater like in the picture below check to see where it s leaking from.

The threads are the thinnest part on the nipple and it is not unusual to find leaks in them. However some models have these valves located on the very top of the machine. A water heater leaking from the top is preferable to one from the bottom. Consult our water heater service page for more information.

So if you re water heater is leaking a lot of water from the top then you have a serious problem. Find the cold water inlet valve. It s the job of the control valve to hold back this water until you re ready to turn it on. A hot water heater merely pushes the heated water through your pipes to your faucet.

If the leak is coming from the bottom of the tank it is not looking good for you. The water heater nipples on top of the water heater which connect the water heater to the cold water inlet pipe and to the hot water exit pipe is another common place to find leaks. Two places it may be leaking from include. 1 connection that generates hot water 2 connection that generates cold water 3 connection that releases pressure.

The first thing you ll want to do is determine where the water heater leak is located. Although these are the two most common causes of a leaking water heater they are. If your hot water heater is designed like this then this could be a reason your water heater is leaking at the top. A water heater leaking from top floors in your house via the faucets can be hard to diagnose at first.

Depending on your water heater model this valve could be located on the side or the top of your water heater. The most likely scenario in this case is that sediment has built up and corroded the bottom of the tank causing a serious problem and the need for an entirely new water heater. On the other hand water runs downhill so failure to fix the leak can lead to more serious problems including electrical shorts additional damage to the water heater and the possibility of water damage such as ruined carpeting or drywall.