Water Heater Leaking? What to Do Right Now
A leaking water heater can put a lot of water on the floor fast. Here's how to stop it safely, protect your home, and tell whether you need cleanup.
Published · Sun City Ceiling Water Damage Help
Call (623) 301-8959Short answer: turn off the cold water supply to the heater, then cut the heat source (gas set to off or pilot, or the electric breaker switched off from a dry spot). Catch or mop up the water, keep it away from walls and cabinets, and call for water cleanup if it has spread beyond what towels can handle. A plumber replaces or repairs the heater itself.
Careful: the water can be very hot. Don't put your hands in water coming from the tank or its fittings. If water is near an electrical outlet, the heater's wiring or the breaker panel, stay out of it.
Step by step
- Shut off the water to the heater. Close the valve on the cold water pipe going into the tank (usually at the top). If you can't find it or it won't turn, close the home's main water shutoff.
- Turn off the heat source. Gas heater: turn the control knob to off or pilot. Electric heater: switch off its breaker, but only if you can reach the panel while standing somewhere dry.
- Contain the water. Towels, a wet/dry vac, and moving boxes, rugs and stored items out of the way.
- Take photos of the heater, the leak and the wet areas before cleanup. Your insurer may ask for them.
- Call for help: a plumber for the heater, and (623) 301-8959 for water cleanup and drying if water reached drywall, flooring, carpet or cabinets.
Where is the leak coming from?
| What you see | What it often means |
|---|---|
| Water at a pipe connection on top of the tank | A loose or failing fitting. Often repairable by a plumber. |
| Water from the pipe on the side (relief valve line) | The temperature and pressure relief valve is releasing. Have a plumber check it; don't plug or cap it. |
| Dripping from the drain valve near the bottom | A valve that isn't fully closed or is worn. |
| Water pooling under the tank with no visible source | Often the tank itself is leaking, which usually means replacement. |
Only a plumber can confirm the cause. This table is to help you describe it when you call.
When you need water cleanup, not just a mop
- Water reached carpet, wood flooring or the bottom of drywall
- It ran under cabinets, baseboards or into another room
- The heater sits in a closet or attic and the water went into walls or a ceiling below
- You don't know how long it had been leaking
Water that wicks into drywall and under flooring isn't dried by surface mopping. The EPA recommends drying water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold. A drying provider measures moisture behind the surface and sets up dehumidifiers and air movers. See emergency water extraction for what that involves.
Will insurance cover it?
It depends on your policy. Damage from a sudden leak is often treated differently from the heater itself or from a slow leak that went on for a long time. Our guide on insurance and water damage in Arizona explains what usually decides coverage.
Need the water cleaned up?
Call (623) 301-8959, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sun City Ceiling Water Damage Help is a referral line that connects Sun City callers with independent water cleanup and drying providers. Repairing or replacing the water heater is done by a plumber.
Get help in Sun City
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Water coming through the ceiling? Call now.
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