← Plumbing Problems

Water heater leaking from the bottom. Now what?

Water under the water heater means one of two things: a cheap fix like a loose drain valve, or a tank that has rusted through and is done. You can usually tell which one with a flashlight. And to be straight with you: if the tank itself is leaking, it can’t be patched. That’s a replacement.

Find where the water is actually coming from

1. The drain valve. That’s the spigot near the bottom of the tank. If the drip is coming off it, you might be one inexpensive valve away from done. Easiest fix on this list.
2. The relief valve pipe. There’s a safety valve with a pipe running down the side of the tank. If water is coming out of that pipe, the valve is worn or the pressure is too high. Both fixable, neither means a new tank.
3. Fittings up top. Water is sneaky. A drip from the connections on top will run down the side and puddle at the bottom, looking exactly like a tank leak. Follow the trail with a paper towel.
4. Condensation. Gas units sweat in our humid summers, especially after heavy hot water use. Looks alarming, means nothing.
5. The tank itself. If water is seeping from the bottom of the tank body and there’s rust around it, the inner tank has corroded through. No patch, no sealant, no repair. It’s replacement time, and the sooner the better, because that leak only grows.

If it’s flooding right now

Shut the cold water valve on top of the tank. Then kill the power: the breaker for an electric unit, the gas dial to OFF for a gas one. Then call us. Don’t spend the morning bailing water the tank keeps refilling.

When to call

Any leak you can’t trace to the drain valve or condensation. Any wet floor under a tank that’s 8 or more years old. Or honestly, any time you’d rather not guess. Same-day service across the Midlands during business hours, and most replacements are done in a single visit.

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