My water heater is leaking underneath!?

Question

My water heater is leaking water underneath. The heater guy isnt coming till tomorrow morning. I turned off the gas line and the heater itself just to be safe, but why hasnt the water stopped leaking? Its been like that all day, my garage is basically soaked, and not to mention lots of my things have been damaged. Will the leak end at some point??

Answer 1

Many good answers, but, the water leak is from the tank being corroded or failed seam. If you have a warrenty on this tank maybe you can get a new water heater for nothing. As mentioned it shoud ahve a valve to turn the cold water off (some also have a valve to turn the hot water side off to make an easier removal). If water turn off valve is not there on cold side, one should be put in when the water heater is replaced. As mentioned, you leak would stop when the water coming in the tank is shut off plus the 40 or 50 gals in the tank drains out. The tank has to be drained to move it.

Answer 2

There should be a draincock at the bottom of your heater. Connect a hose to it and open it with the hose running outside or to a drain. Down hill if possible. Make sure you have the water heaters shut off valve turned off. It should be on the cold line going into the heater. Remember that if you use a faucet or shower valve the water will most likely back feed towards the heater! So if you use something turn it all the way to he cold side.Leave the hose hooked up and the drain open if possible to keep back feeding water from filling up your heater again.

Answer 3

All answers are very good, just close the cold water valve at the top of water heater, connect hose to drain, open hot water faucet, oh and did I mention that any damage done by a leaking water heater is covered by home owners insurance, unfortunately not the heater.

Answer 4

The way a water heater works is it is a tank that hold however many gallons it says it can heat. For example 120 gallon water heater will hold 120 gallons of water. So when it starts leaking it wont stop until it is empty. You should probably turn off the water feeding the heater as well.

Answer 5

You need to turn the water off going to the water heater. As water is going out of the tank, water is flowing into the tank. Just as if you were using water to wash clothes or take a shower. It won't stop leaking.

Answer 6

You need to turn off the water to the heater. That should stop the leak.

Answer 7

The line that feeds cold water into it should have a valve on it. Close this valve if you can (sometimes they get frozen shut with corrosion). Otherwise you might have to shut the water off to your whole house.

Once the water is off to the tank, you should be able to connect a garden hose to it and drain it. Hopefully there is some low spot to drain it? Laundry tub, floor drain, low window?

If you can't open a hot water tap to let off some pressure, and close it again. This should really slow down the leaking.

Answer 8

Shut off the water supply to the heater. Also take a hose and drain the water to a outside location like the driveway or lawn. It must have a crack and it will continue to leak until you drain it. Your plumber will have to do that tomorrow anyway save him the time, and the prices that plumbers charge, try to get him finished as soon as possible,

Answer 9

Can you turn off the water supply line to the tank??? You would think that there would be some sort of an emergency shut off on the water line from the home to the tank

Answer 10

You should really get someone to assess the damage and see where this major leak is coming from.