Can My Water Heater Leak Gas

Popping and knocking noise.

Can my water heater leak gas.

If the tank has ruptured and is leaking the water heater cannot be fixed and it must be replaced. Even so there s always a chance your water heater could leak. There should be a dedicated gas shut off valve on the gas line leading to the tank. If it s a gas water heater it will have a dial or an on off switch near the spot where the gas line connects.

The water droplets can begin to drip on to the floor and you my suspect the puddle to be a leak. Water heaters whether gas or electric will last you about 8 to 12 years if you take good care of them. And the best part. Using the image below it seems like it might be coming from the red circle where the dial connects to the thermostat or the blue circle where the manifold tube connects to the thermostat.

Allow the tank to sit idle for several hours with the power or gas turned off. Most people know that when their water heater is leaking it means bad news. Determine that what you are smelling is in fact gas. If it does the good news is that most small water heater leaks can be patched up pretty easily.

Determine the location of the leak. Finally if none of the prior inspections showed a cause for leaking then it is likely that the tank inside the water heater has gone bad. This more common on older water heaters but it can happen to newer tanks if the insulation has been damaged or the thermostat is set too high for safe operation. Turn off the power to the leaking water heater.

If you have a leaking gas powered water heater we recommend that you shut off the gas supply before working with the tank. This can happen on the water heater itself associated pipes or any nearby appliance. If the leak stops it is an indication that you are experiencing condensation. A small trickle of water can be easily cleaned up with minimal damage to your floors.

Normally this will be a major flooding leak not small dripping. I can smell it. If you detect a sulfur rotten egg type smell near the water heater it could be because there is a gas leak inside that could ignite when the light is on. My gas water heater is certainly leaking gas.

This minor nuisance can turn into a significant problem before you know it so it is something that should be handled quickly and professionally. If it s an electric water heater. I don t smell anything around the green circle the pilot tube. Gas water heater what to do with a leaking hot water heater gas water heater.

See below for a visual illustration of a gas water heater shut down.