Water heater leaking? Call 702-556-4812 any time, day or night. A licensed technician finds the cause and gives you a written price before any work starts.
A leaking water heater can be a loose fitting that takes ten minutes to fix, or a tank that is about to fail. Where the water is coming from tells you which one. Start by protecting your home, then look for the source.
Do this first
- Turn off the cold water to the heater. There is a shutoff valve on the cold line going into the top of the tank. Turn it clockwise until it stops. This stops new water from feeding the leak.
- Turn off the heat. On a gas heater, turn the control knob to OFF or PILOT. On an electric heater, switch off its breaker. An empty or draining tank should never be heated.
- Keep clear of hot water. Water in the tank can be hot enough to scald. Do not open the drain valve or the relief valve to “empty it” unless you know what you are doing.
- If the heater is in an attic or a closet over living space, put down towels or a pan and call right away. A leak there damages ceilings and floors quickly.
Where is the water coming from?
The pipe connections on top
Drips from the hot and cold connections on top of the tank are usually loose fittings, a worn flex connector or a failing shutoff valve. These are repairs, not replacements.
The relief valve pipe on the side
The temperature and pressure relief valve, or T&P valve, has a pipe running down the side of the tank or out through the wall. Water coming out of that pipe means the valve is opening. Either the valve has worn out, or the pressure in the tank is too high. In Las Vegas, the second cause is common. The water heater has nowhere to send the extra pressure as water heats up and expands, so it pushes out through the valve. A failing expansion tank or a failing pressure regulator can both cause it. Replacing the valve without finding out why it opened only brings the problem back.
The drain valve near the bottom
The drain valve near the bottom of the tank can drip if it was not fully closed or its washer has worn. It is usually an easy fix.
The bottom of the tank itself
If water is pooling under the tank and you cannot trace it to a fitting or valve, the tank itself is most likely leaking. Over the years, the inside of the tank corrodes through, and hard water speeds that up. A leaking tank cannot be patched or sealed. It needs to be replaced, and the sooner the better, because a small seep can turn into a burst.
Water that is not coming from the heater
Now and then the “water heater leak” is something nearby: a supply line, the condensate from an AC or furnace in the same closet, or a slab leak coming up through the floor. We check what is around the heater before recommending anything.
What a replacement involves here
Replacing a water heater in the City of Las Vegas and Clark County needs a permit and an inspection. The code covers things like two seismic straps on the tank, a relief valve line that drains safely, a gas shutoff and sediment trap on gas heaters, a drain pan where a leak could damage the home, and an expansion tank where the plumbing needs one. We pull the permit and install to code. That protects you when the home is sold or the insurance company asks questions.
It is also a good time to decide whether a tankless water heater makes sense for your home. We give you both options in writing.
Common questions
Is a leaking water heater an emergency?
A leak from the tank itself, or any leak in an attic or over living space, should be treated as urgent. A slow drip from a fitting can usually wait for a scheduled visit, as long as the cold water is shut off. We answer 24/7 either way.
Can a leaking tank be repaired?
No. Once the tank itself leaks, the lining has corroded through and it has to be replaced. Leaks from valves, fittings and connectors on the outside of the tank can be repaired.
Why does water come out of the pipe on the side?
That is the temperature and pressure relief valve doing its job. It opens when pressure or temperature gets too high. A worn valve, a failed expansion tank or high water pressure are the usual causes, and we test for all three.
How much does it cost to come out?
No service-call fee for a limited time (normally $125, credited to your repair). Our $89 offer is the whole-home check-up. Either way, you see the full price in writing before we start.
Will my home warranty cover it?
Many home warranty plans cover water heater leaks, with limits on permits and code upgrades. Start the claim with your warranty company and ask for Excellence Air & Plumbing. We explain anything the plan does not cover before work starts.
Related: water heater repair and installation · no hot water · water leak detection · slab leak repair · 24/7 emergency plumbing
Call 702-556-4812 24/7, or book online. Nevada HVAC license #0081345 · Plumbing license #0090251.