If your first reaction to the sight of water pooling around your water heater is “help!”, then you’re off to a good start at getting it fixed in time. Any type of repair for a water heater requires the work of professionals—especially if it’s a gas-powered water heater. (No one except a licensed professional should ever work on an appliance connected to a gas line. In most jurisdictions, it’s actually illegal.) You can count on our experienced plumbers to come to your help and stop those leaks as well as whatever caused them in the first place.
Why water heaters start to leak
This is something that’s worth writing about, even if the diagnosis of what started the leaking in a water heater is something that must be left to experienced technicians. Knowing how leaking can begin can help you know how to care for your water heater and stop the problems in the future.
Perhaps the number one reason for a leaking water heater is due to amateur work, either repairs or initial installation. If a non-professional handled soldering the connections to the water heater, it’s likely for leaks to start there. Other amateur errors can cause high water pressure, a major leaking trouble. Always rely on professionals when it comes to any water heater service.
High pressure is something that can occur for other reasons: a broken expansion tank, sediment build-up in the tank, or limescale. These problems all require different types of repairs.
Corrosion is another source of leaking, and it’s bad news for a water heater in general. Water heaters are designed to defend against corrosion, but given enough time (or lack of regular maintenance), rust and other types of corrosion can get a hold on a tank. If caught in time, the corroded sections of the water heater might be able to be replaced. If the trouble is a water heater that’s too old, the best solution is to replace the whole unit.
Ken Neyer Plumbing, Inc. offers water heater services to Over-the-Rhine, OH and throughout the Cincinnati area.