What’s Causing My Water Heater To Leak?
When you notice a leak near the area where your water heater is, you should call plumbers even if you don’t know if the leak is coming from the water heater for sure. If you delay seeking professional help, you may put your home at risk of flooding, water damage, and more.
When the hot water heater condensation causes leaks, the water itself can also create hazardous conditions for those nearby since the water may still be hot when it leaks out. Sometimes, you may be able to see why a hot water heater is leaking from the top or identify a busted water heater as the source of a leak, but you should still seek out a professional opinion to confirm your suspicions.
As you’ll see in the article below, there might be ways to tell why your water heater is leaking from the bottom or another part of the heater. When you educate yourself on the typical causes of water heater leakage, you can keep that in your back pocket for a rainy day even if your water heater isn’t leaking at this time. This is why we recommend that every homeowner read the information below on leaky water heaters and plumbing systems.
The majority of tankless water heaters are expected to last for up to 20 years or more. However, a scary scenario that happens more often than you would think is a leaking water heater.
Leaking water heaters can be dangerous, and so it’s essential that you contact a water heater repair service as soon as you notice water coming from your water heater. But what causes a water heater to leak and how can you stop it from happening in the future?
Here’s what you need to know after finding a leaky water heater.
You may have corrosion in your water heater
Water heaters are typically made out of steel. Because steel is created from mostly iron, your water heater can begin to rust over time. Your water heater has an anode rod built into the tank in order to keep the tank from deteriorating. However, once this 3-5 foot rod rusts completely, your water heater will be the next victim.
Fortunately, this problem is easily preventable if you have your heating system inspected at a minimum of every two years or so. Once the warranty on your heating system has ended, it’s important that you receive an inspection from your HVAC service once every year. HVAC services will change the anode rod up to every four years in order to keep your water heater running efficiently and without rust.
Sediment is clogging your water heater
Sediment can settle along the bottom of your water heater if you have a hard water system. Like an HVAC system or air conditioning unit, any build up of materials within the system can result in the water heater running longer than necessary.
When the sediment builds along the bottom of the water heater it creates a layer of insulation, which causes the water heater to take longer to heat the water inside. When the water heater runs longer than necessary, it can cause the inside of the tank to deteriorate.
You can tell if your water heater has a buildup of sediment inside of it if the heater makes a knocking sound. This sound is caused by the water attempting to escape the layer of sediment.
To keep this from happening, contact a water heater repair service to drain the sediment within the tank at least once a year. This will help to keep your water clean and your water heater safe from leaks or explosions.
A leaking water heater can be incredibly dangerous because of the implications of pressure being placed on your heating system. Left unattended, this can result in a water heater exploding. To keep yourself and your family safe, contact your HVAC maintenance and water heater repair company today.
