My water heater is leaking
Shut off the cold water valve above the heater and turn off its power or gas. Then look at where the water is coming from: a fitting, the relief valve, or the tank body. Fittings and valves are repairable. A tank leaking from the body itself is not repairable at any price and needs replacement.
Do this first
- Turn off the cold water supply valve on top of the heater.
- Turn off power at the breaker, or set a gas unit's control to off or pilot.
- Look at where the water actually comes from: a connection, the relief valve, or the tank body.
- Move anything valuable clear of the area and call. Tell us what you saw.
What it usually is
- A loose or corroded fittingRepairable, and often the cheapest outcome.
- The temperature and pressure relief valveDischarging can mean a faulty valve or genuinely excessive pressure. Both matter.
- A failed drain valveA common and inexpensive leak point at the bottom of the tank.
- The tank body itselfCorrosion through the tank. Not repairable, and it will get worse.
When to call, and when it can wait
If you do need us
Find the source precisely
Fitting, valve, or tank. Everything after this depends on it.
Check the pressure too
A relief valve discharging is sometimes doing its job because system pressure is too high.
Repair or replace
Fittings and valves repaired. A leaking tank body replaced.
Check what a replacement needs
Expansion tank, pan and drain, venting — quoted openly, not discovered later.
Houston note
A great many Houston water heaters live in the attic, which is the worst place for one to fail quietly. If yours is up there, check that it sits in a pan and that the pan's drain line actually goes somewhere. That single check has saved a lot of ceilings.
Related problems
What moves the price
- SOURCEA fitting is a small job. A tank is a replacement.
- ACCESSAttic installations cost more to work in and to replace.
- CODEUpgrades a replacement is required to include.
Questions about this
Can a leaking tank be patched?
No. Once the tank body has corroded through, there is no repair that holds. Any offer to patch one should be declined. What can be repaired are fittings, valves, and connections.
Water is dripping from the pipe on the side. Is that broken?
That is the temperature and pressure relief valve doing what it is designed to do. It can mean a faulty valve, or it can mean system pressure or temperature is too high — which is worth diagnosing rather than just replacing the valve.
My heater is in the attic. Does that matter?
Yes, quite a lot. Attic installations are common in Houston and a leak up there does far more damage before it is noticed. It also makes replacement more labour-intensive. A drain pan with a working drain line is worth checking on any attic unit.
Not sure how urgent it is?
Describe what is happening and we will tell you straight: call an emergency out now, book it for today, or leave it until the week.