Leaking water heater in Minnetonka

Dry the area with a towel and watch for a few minutes. Check the cold and hot connections on top, the relief valve and its discharge pipe on the side, the drain valve near the bottom, and the floor under the tank.

Water dripping down from the top connections, or trickling from the drain valve, is often a fitting or valve problem. Water that appears from under the jacket or bottom of the tank, with no source above it, usually means the inner tank has corroded through.

Also check whether the water is actually from the heater. A nearby furnace humidifier, condensate line, softener or a sweating cold pipe can leave a puddle that looks like a heater leak.

The temperature and pressure relief valve is designed to open if the tank gets too hot or the pressure gets too high. A few drops now and then can be a worn valve, but steady discharge is a warning sign worth calling about.

In homes with a check valve or pressure reducer on the main line, water has nowhere to go as it heats and expands. That can make the relief valve open repeatedly. A thermal expansion tank is the usual fix, and many codes now require one with a replacement. Never cap or plug the relief valve or its pipe.

Loose or corroded connections, a leaking drain valve, a bad relief valve or a failed flex connector are typical repair jobs. These are usually straightforward for a plumber and much less expensive than a new heater.

A tank that is leaking from the body cannot be patched. Once the steel is rusted through, the leak will only grow. The good news is that you have usually caught it early if you are dealing with a slow seep instead of a flood.

Many Minnetonka homes have a finished lower level near the utility room, and carpet or drywall soaks up water quickly. After shutting off the water, pull back wet carpet where you can and run fans or a dehumidifier.

Take photos of the leak and any damage before cleanup. That record helps if you decide to talk to your insurance company. A drain pan piped to a floor drain, or a leak sensor with an automatic shutoff, is worth asking about on the replacement.

Call any time and an automated assistant will take your details and pass them to a local plumber near you. Mention whether the leak is from a fitting or the tank and whether you have shut off the water, so the plumber can plan for a repair or a replacement.