Is your water heater leaking? How should you check for it?
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There are times when homeowners find their water heater making sounds. Does that mean it's leaking? Such sounds of water rushing and increasing water bills and water damage usually indicate leaks in the water heater. Here we will discuss the ways to identify the water heater leaks to reduce water waste and damage.
Try to listen if the water heater is leaking
Are you suspecting that there is a water heater leak? If yes, you should turn off the external sound sources, such as the television or radio, and trust your ears. There are times when you can hear the leak before it becomes severe. If you stand near the water heater and hear water dripping and rushing, you need to follow it and trace the leak. If you hear the sound of water and can detect no leak, there might be a break within.
Try to see the signs of the water heater leaking
The precise point from where water leaks can be challenging to determine. There can be multiple leaks that can go undetected. There are times when it is tough to see the leak as an insulating blanket covers the unit. For this, you should learn about the common areas of water leaks.
Examine the top of the water heater
It would help if you looked at the top of the water heater, which is the point where water leaves and enters. There are chances of the water heater failing here as the tubes that enter the tank are vulnerable to leaks because of the high pressure.
Examine the bottom of the water heater
Is your water heater leaking from bottom? At times, the drain valve at the bottom is a place from where the water heater leaks.
The Electric Water Heater
Do you think that your electric water heater might be leaking? Are you not certain of the source? If yes, you need to switch off the power. After that, you should take away the access panel and the safety shield to check the elements to assess the signs of the water heater leaks and stains. If your tank is partially new and the leaks are evident, chances are you might have to tighten the bolts and nuts. And if this doesn’t work for you, then you might have to replace the element washers.
What should you do when you have detected a leak in the water heater?
Once you have detected a leak in the water heater, you need to switch off the breaker which supplies power. You can also switch off the gas supply. After that, you can switch off the supply of water to your heater. If you don’t know where to find it, you can follow the pipe which enters the water heater till you reach the valve and close it after that.
Other than that, you can also engage in minor repairs, such as making a loose connection tight or adjusting the pressure relief valve. Also, if you find a leak in the pressure relief valve, it could be because of the increased temperature. You should bring down the temperature to see if that solves the problem. At times, you can also replace the water heater and choose an energy-efficient model.
Guest Contributor: Sujain Thomas