With proper care and maintenance, a water heater can last on average between 10 and 13 years. That regular maintenance also reduces the risk of your water heater breaking down and requiring costly repairs along the way.
If you aren’t experienced in taking care of water heaters, especially if you’re a first-time homeowner, seeing a leak may freak you out and make you leap to the conclusion that there’s something seriously wrong. Remain calm. We’ll show you what to do to help you protect your investment in your Delmarva home.
Do you notice water on your water heater or on the floor around your water heater?
Don’t assume it’s a leak right away. There may be another cause. Like what? Condensation is one cause. If humid air comes into contact with a cool or cold surface like that on the exterior of a water heater tank, pipes or another appliance near the water heater, condensation can form and drip onto the floor.
Another possibility is that there is a leak, but not in your water heater. It may be in plumbing lines near the water heater such as the water softener lines or furnace drain lines.
First of all, if you aren’t experienced in home equipment repairs or don’t feel confident in tackling a water heater leak, the professionals at Poore’s Propane can handle it. Contact us for a service call.
If you found a leak and want to find the source of it, be safe. With a propane water heater, turn the power supply to your water heater OFF and turn off the incoming water supply to the water heater by shutting off the intake valve (usually located above the water heater).
Now it’s time to find the spot of the leak. The most obvious spot is the water heater tank. If the leak is coming from the bottom, this may be a sign a new water heater is needed altogether, as this is likely the warning sign to a full tank failure.
The leak can be in the outlet pipe connectors that bring water into the heater and out of it. If it’s at those spots, it may be a simple fix of tightening the connection.
Other sources can be the temperature and pressure release valve, the drain valve and the heating elements.
You can stop worrying about leaks in your water heater tank by ditching the tank and upgrading to a propane tankless water heater – which Poore’s Propane has in stock and ready to install year-round.
Whether you need repairs of your current water heater or a replacement with a new water heater, the trained and experienced equipment technicians at Poore’s Propane can handle both repairs and installation. Reach out to us today to find out more and don’t forget to ask about our value-packed service plans!
