Water heater leaks can often cause serious damage to your home. Indeed, these leaks can damage floors, sub floors and walls, while posing potential health risks. Whether you need to repair or replace a leaking hot water tank depends on the location of your leak.
When to Repair
Check for the following before you replace a leaking water heater:
- Condensation: The puddle of water you see might be the result of condensation. When water usage is high, the air inside your tank gets colder than that outside, causing condensation.
- Pipe leaks: Sometimes leaks at a pipe joint isn’t easily noticeable. Unless you can observe a spray of water from the pipes that connect to the tank, you might assume they’re in fine condition. You should tighten the joints to stop possible leaks and see if the situation improves.
- Leaking gaskets: Electric hot water systems use electric elements to heat water. Typically, these elements project into the tank and are therefore sealed with gaskets to prevent leakage. Over time, gaskets may wear out or get damaged, resulting in leakage.
- Pressure release valve: If pressure inside your water heater tank builds up to a certain level, the pressure relief valve will open to let steam escape, so the pressure can return to normal. With the tank inside your home, the steam can sometimes condense quickly causing a puddle of water at the bottom of your tank.
When to Replace
After you’ve checked and confirmed that the puddle of water around your tank is not caused by one of the above problems, it’s highly likely that your water heater tank is leaking. At this stage, its best to replace your water heater.
If you’re considering replacing a leaking water heater in or around Warren or Orion Township, contact Aladdin Heating & Air Conditioning and experience the rewards of 75 years of experience.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Warren, Michigan about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about water heaters and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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