Steps to Take When You Have a Leaky Water Heater [infographic]

If you have a leaky water heater, you might expect us to say that calling us at A Step Above Plumbing Inc. is the first thing you should do, but the reality is that asking us for help is quite a bit down on the list of steps to take when you have a leaky water heater. Your first goal is to minimize water damage and stay safe, so we recommend that you take the following steps:

1.  Turn off the gas or electricity- Before you even go near your leaky water heater, it is best to shut off whatever fuel source it uses, which is typically the circuit breaker for an electric water heater or the gas shut-off valve if you have a gas water heater.

2.  Turn off the cold water- A leaky water heater is going to empty all the water that is in it as well as water re-entering the tank, so it is important that you shut off the cold-water line going into the water heater.

3.  Drain the remaining water- Unless your water heater has already emptied entirely, there can be several gallons still inside. Rather than have the water leak all over the floor, attach a garden hose to the drain valve and divert it safely outside.

4.  Turn on the hot water faucet- To pull the last of the hot water out of the plumbing lines and speed up the draining process, turn on a hot water faucet in your kitchen or bathroom.

5.  Call us- Now you can reach out to us to schedule an appointment to come check out your leaky water heater. We’ll assess the situation and recommend either repairs or replacement based on our findings. If it does need to be replaced, that process will go more quickly since you have already drained the water heater.