A reason why a water heater may leak from the bottom element is because it no longer drains properly.
Hot water heater leaking from bottom element.
A leak in the drain valve at the bottom of the water heater is another common issue.
Although these are the two most common causes of a leaking water heater they are not always the culprits.
It can even be coming out around the element area.
The leak may actually be at the top of the water heater and simply running down through the body of the heater before escaping at a lower level.
Keep reading to find out how to resolve the leak issue.
Open a hot water faucet.
The contractor will do a test to see if your water heater s drain valve is clogged up.
Turn off the power or your gas supply to your hot water heater in addition to closing the inlet valve on the top of your.
After draining or flushing a water heater it is common for the drain valve to fail to close completely.
This is caused by the buildup of sediments that settled on the drain valve.
If the leak is coming from the bottom of the tank it is not looking good for you.
Once the tank is empty shut the drain valve and.
It s not necessary to drain it completely only so that the water inside the tank is lower.
The heating element will sit in the control panel of the water heater and this panel typically sits underneath a metal cover.
The most likely scenario in this case is that sediment has built up and corroded the bottom of the tank causing a serious problem and the need for an entirely new water heater.
Below is a list of the four most probable causes of a leak in your water heater.
Attach one end of a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of your tank and stick the other end in a safe place to.
Drain the hot water tank.
Turn off the power.
This will allow air to enter the tank.
Use a wrench to grab hold of the t p valve and turn it counter clockwise until the valve is loose.
If this is not remedied it can actually damage the drain valve.
The first places to check if it appears that you have a leak from the bottom of your water heater are the drain valve and temperature pressure relief valve t p valve.
If your water heater is leaking water near the control panel of the device then the device is likely leaking fluid around the heating element.