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My Water Heater Is Leaking, Should I Repair It or Purchase a New Water Heater?

My water heater is leaking, can it be repaired? Well, do you see water around your water heater or at the base? First things first, you need to know where the leak is coming from. A leak at your water heater doesn’t always mean it’s your water heater. We receive a lot of calls about leaking water heaters, only to discover that it isn’t the water heater at all. Sometimes leaks that appear to be coming from the water heater are from a water heater component and not the water heater itself.  

Where is the leak coming from? 

If you’re trying to evaluate where the leak is coming from on your own, it’s always best to start at the top. There are pipes and fittings at the top of your water heater. Your leak could be seeping from the top and running down. To start, visually inspect all the pipes and fittings at the top of your water heater.  If you don’t actively see a leak, it is best to wipe down all the piping. Using a dry paper towel is a great way to inspect for damp or wet spots after the pipe is clean.  If you find a leak, you could be in luck. All of your piping and fittings at your water heater can be repaired or replaced!  

Be sure to check your temperature and pressure relief valve for any leaking. This is a brass valve with a small silver lever on it. Most of the time you will find it either on the top or the side of your water heater. In most cases you can replace the valve, if the valve is where the leak is coming from. Along as the valve hasn’t seized to the tank you can replace the valve.  

If you didn’t find the leak at the top of your water heater it’s time to start working our way down.  You’ll want to continue looking over your water heater. Look over your water heater all the way to the base of the tank. The last thing you can check is the drain valve. The drain val at the bottom of the water heater. This will look like your hose bibb or outside faucet where you connect your garden hose. These drain valves can leak. The leak is at the seem for the water heater case and that is where you will see rust showing through and water seeping.  Sometimes you can replace the drain valve, but not always. Once the drain valve seizes to the water heater you cannot remove it or repair it.

Check all the seams at the top of your water heater and around while you are visually inspecting the shell of the water heater. Signs of water and rust at the seams of the outside shell, are a clear indication it is the tank. If the tank has been diagnosed as the problem, a new water heater is your only option. 

Electric Water Heater

In the case that your water heater is electric, you should see two cover plates on the front of the water heater.  These two plates cover access to your elements and thermostats.  If you’re feeling DIY you can remove those plates and see if the water is coming from there.  The leaking water could be coming from your elements, or it could be your water heater tank. Let’s say the water isn’t coming from the elements. Look around to observe the area and check for water.

Once again if you see water but it’s not coming from the elements then it’s time to replace your water heater. There is no way to repair steel tank once it’s rusted through and leaking. A leaking or rusted steel tank means you have to replace the entire water heater.  If your electric water heater tank is leaking, there are some incredible options available to replace it.

Gas Water Heater 

If your water heater is a gas tank style water heater then you can start your search for the leak in the same way as you did with the electric tank style water heater. At the top and work your way down. The only real difference is a gas tank style water heater will not have access panels on the front. However, you may have a leak from a gas control valve. The gas control valve is the box near the bottom of the water heater where the gas line ling connects and is the brains of the gas water heater. It screws into the tank and that’s where you could have an issue. Other than that, follow the same procedure. If your gas tank style water heater is leaking, then there are upgrade options for them as well. 

Is Your Tank Leaking? 

The casing that you see around your water heater is only cosmetic. This casing is not your water heater tank, it is just an outer shell. Inside of that casing is a steel tank. The steel tank casing is lined with porcelain, called the glass lining. Do you have an electric or gas tank style water heater that is leaking from the tank itself? If so, you must replace the water heater.  There is misinformation out there that you can fix a small leak on a water heater tank, but that simply isn’t true.  If the steel tank of your water heater is leaking there is no repairing it. You must replace your water heater if the steel tank is leaking. Once the porcelain lining inside your water heater is cracked, it allows water through to rust the steel tank.   

To summarize  

If you have a leaking water heater, it can only be repaired if it is leaking from a replaceable component. If the water heater is leaking from the tank itself, it cannot be repaired. You must replace a water heater with a leaking tank. Maybe you’re unsure or even if you are sure and you are in the Phoenix area, then you are in luck! Call a Robin! The team here at Robins Plumbing is always here and happy to help. 

Services in Phoenix & Beyond

When you’ve found yourself in need of plumbing services in the Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, or Chandler area, you can trust Robins Plumbing. We will provide you with prompt and expert care! Contact our team today! In addition to our water heater services, we also offer a variety of residential and commercial plumbing services. Our services include: drain cleaning, water heater repair and replacement, sewer camera inspection and locating, backflow prevention, commercial and residential jetting, water treatments, and more. Visit our reviews online to see what others have to say about our local plumbing company!