Hot Water Heater Troubleshooter Part 2

If this is happening the first thing to do is check to see if the leak is coming from the water heater or if it is coming from another source and is just pooling around the water heater. If it is coming from the tank, then get a new one and quick, shut off the water, and the gas or electricity and get a plumber or go and buy a new water heater. I have had people call me and say the tank was leaking for 3 weeks, and others have said it was leaking for a day before it burst and flooded their basement. This is not worth waiting for get a new water heater. But if the water is pooling then try to find where it is coming from. I have gone in and found water coming from the humidifier, upstairs bathroom, kitchen, all in different circumstances, but not from the water heater. And these people all said it was from the heater.

This is the part of the water heater that will allow your tank to live longer. The anode rod is a magnesium rod that will get eaten slowly over time instead of your water heater getting eaten by rust and elements. You should change your anode rod every 3 years.

This is to allow the cold water entering the tank to flow to the bottom. If you are getting just a little bit of hot water then very cold, chances are your dip tube is no good any more. To replace this you will need to remove the cold water line and then unthread the dip tube. In many cases the tank is ready to be changed out so take that into consideration.

This is a safety valve on the side of your water heater. Do NOT put a plug into this valve. This will cause major problems down the road. If the relief valve is dripping then you have one of two problems. The relief valve is faulty or the gas valve is faulty. In most cases this is the relief valve. Go down to your hardware store and buy a new one, before you leave start to drain the tank. By the time you get back the tank will be drained and you can remove the faulty relief valve. And install the new one. If this does not stop work and your relief valve is still leaking then you have a problem with your gas valve. Chances are you will need a new water heater. When a gas valve goes the tank will over heat. If the valve was completely gone the relief valve would be relieving 100%. I have seen the valve go on boilers many times for other reasons but not on water heaters.

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