Why Is My Water Heater Leaking?

If you spot even a small leak coming from your home’s water heater, or signs of water pooling around the bottom of the water heater tank, don’t dismiss it as a minor issue and wait to do something about it. Even the smallest leak can turn into a large problem if left without a remedy. Small leaks are often a symptom of something else wrong with the water heater that can rapidly become major. Plus, leaking water can always create damage to the floor and subfloors in your home. If you find that your water heater is leaking, you need to call professionals plumbers to investigate and solve the trouble as soon as possible.

• Tank corrosion: If your water heater is more than 15 or 20 years old, corrosion may have started to affect the tank and weaken it, leading to water escaping through the bottom of the tank. If this happens, it usually means the water heater has reached the end of its lifespan and needs to be replaced.
• High water pressure: When the water pressure inside the tank spikes higher than it should, it can often cause water to start leaking out of connection points. There are a number of possible causes for this spike in pressure such as a broken pressure relief valve, too much sediment in the tank, or the development of limescale along the inside walls of the tank. Repair professionals will get to the bottom of the issue and fix it.
• Poor initial installation: A water heater should only be installed by professionals. Shoddy work often leads to leaks developing because of a poor job done soldering the connections. Repairs will need to fix the connections or replace them.