Hot water heater leak?

Question

Ok my water heater just started leaking from the hot side where the pipe is screwed into the heater itself on top Im not sure if i should be worried or not.
It is corroded with rusty yuck around the big nut or whatever that is. Its gotten worse and Ive been wrapping a towel around it. Not sure if thats safe or not its six years old.

Answer 1

It doesn't sound like a safety concern however this should be corrected soon. This is NOT a problem with your water heater per se. The union (the part with the big nut) needs to be replaced. That's it. The water heater does not need replacing based on your description.
Note: Corrosion can occur at any leak in your plumbing system, similar metals or not.

A plumber or very handy & strong person can do this for you. Before they come, you should shut the water valve off on the cold side and turn the gas supply to pilot (read label Instructions) or shut off breaker if electric. This is a great time to do a little maintenance on the water heater such as: draining and flushing the tank (there is a hose connection/valve near the tank's bottom for draining);
testing the temp-pressure relief valve; and changing the anode rod (this is a "sacrificial", replaceable rod that is intended to deteriorate over time so the tank doesn't). Good luck and I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Stephen, Man, I wish you'd quit trying to answer questions dealing with things you know nothing about. I don't know what century you grew up in, but as far back as I can remember, and that's a ways, there's never been a residential water heater, gas or electric, that has had a float of any kind, inside of it. They are made to be filled clear up to the very top, until the water contacts the inside of the metal of the tank. They cannot overfill, and there's no float system to keep that from happening. I'd be really interested to know where you get your information about water heaters, because you're reading the wrong books. Nickels, as to your problem with the overflow valve, I'd be curious to know just how much water is coming from the overflow valve. Because, at this point, if it's a small enough amount to catch in a small can or pail of some sort, which you could empty at some interval or maybe it would just evaporate, I'd go that route instead of jacking around with all the plumbing and expansion tanks and all. I've installed over 500 water heaters, gas and electric, 80 gal. down to 3 gal. and all sizes inbetween, and I've never installed an expansion tank on any of them, and they're all still in service. Now, it would seem to me that if they were that important and necessary, that somewhere in the last 35 years and over 500 installations, that one of them would have gone bad because of that. So far, nada. I really don't know why the valves are going bad so quickly, other than the possibility that you have so much corrosive material in your water that it's eating out the gaskets quickly. But that would probably mean that the water would be causing you serious health problems as well. So if you're in even moderate good health, that's probably not it. Malcolm, I'm going to give you yours, (the part about the cold side of the waterheater installation being at a lower pressure than the heated side), only because I don't know if all water heaters now have a check valve incorporated into the entrance fitting of each unit which would stop back flow. That would be the only way your theory could possibly come to fruition. In units without the check valve, the pressure on either line would be the same, as regardless of hot or cold, they are both connected to the same system.

Answer 3

This is a problem. Usually not repairable from your description, so the water heater likely needs replacement.
The reason for corrosion is electrolysis. This happens when copper pipe is connected to steel pipe somewhere in the system. Many times dialectric unions (union made of copper and brass with a heavy rubber or neoprenene washer in the middle) are used to buffer between a copper and steel connection. They do not work in the long term by themselves (even though they are supposed to). The solution is to install a brass nipple on each side of the dialectric union; at least 6" each, connected to steel on one side, copper on the other.
The corrosion can occur anywhere in the system, not necessarily just at the spot where copper and steel join. can crop up 20', 50', away.
Another reason; sometimes very hard water will do this.
If you have the receipt for the original installation, call them and complain.

Answer 4

If it is just the thread that is leaking you can always replace the pipes and clean out the threads. Put in some joint compound and put it all back together. A plumber may charge $100 or so but replacing the water heater can cost $1000.

Answer 5

When a water heater leaks it's telling you "I need replacing" I wouldn't wait too long water heater's know when it's a holiday/Sunday and when a plumber is going to make time a half on you !!!!

Answer 6

If you can't tighten the connection it's time to replace the heater..Life expectencies are 6-12 yrs on water heaters. besides a new one has to be more efficient than the one you have offering slightly offsetting costs.

Answer 7

there is some kind of corrosive action going on. it will get worse. you need to have a plumber fix it but you need to find the underlying problem that is eating the metel or you will be fixing it again and probably putting in a new water heater as well. your water is most likely acidic. everything your water touches will suffer some damage, including you. call a water treatment specialist.

Answer 8

Bill is closest so far, poor installation with no protection against corrosion, DO NOT try to tighten the joint, it may snap completely, I am in uk but i know the main problems with water heaters is down to lack of protection wherever you live!

Answer 9

new water time, check the serial # for warrenty info, should be 1st 4 digits on s/n.... ma86= manufactured jan,86.... some say 5302= 53rd week of 2002. most newer WH's have 6 yr warrenty which will save u $ if u know and call manufacturer

Answer 10

no it isnt safe, call a plumber or your oil provider. this cancaest electrical problems or worse yet flood your basement. judging by the age it sounds simple. but it shouldn't be corroded