Why Is Water Heater Leaking From Top

Two places it may be leaking from include.

Why is water heater leaking from top.

Pressure relief valves are located at the top of the water heater. Water leaking from your water heater is a bad sign regardless of where the leak is coming from. The threads are the thinnest part on the nipple and it is not unusual to find leaks in them. 1 connection that generates hot water 2 connection that generates cold water 3 connection that releases pressure.

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

If the hole is large and water begins to pool underneath the water heater than you need to call a plumber. 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. Luckily we re here to help.

From its base where it screws into the water heater. 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. In most cases when a water heater is leaking from the top it s usually pretty easy to pinpoint to leak. The first thing you ll want to do is determine where the water heater leak is located.

The valve is usually a lever or a knob type valve. Find the cold water inlet valve. 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. If the leak is coming from the bottom of the tank it is not looking good for you.

Although these are the two most common causes of a leaking water heater they are. 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. Consult our water heater service page for more information. 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. Many water heater tanks have their temperature and pressure relieve valve positioned on the side of the tank. 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.