Can My Water Heater Leak Gas

If it does the good news is that most small water heater leaks can be patched up pretty easily.

Can my water heater leak gas.

Normally this will be a major flooding leak not small dripping. 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. If you smell sulfur or what some may describe as rotten eggs this may be a sign of a gas leak which indicates there may be a problem with your water heater or other hvac equipment in your home. If you smell gas around your heater turn the gas off immediately and call a licensed plumber to check the heater.

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. And the best part. The water droplets can begin to drip on to the floor and you my suspect the puddle to be a leak. Even so there s always a chance your water heater could leak.

Popping and knocking noise. Turn off the power to the leaking water heater. If the leak stops it is an indication that you are experiencing condensation. I don t smell anything around the green circle the pilot tube.

Allow the tank to sit idle for several hours with the power or gas turned off. If it s an electric water heater. Determine the location of the leak. Determine that what you are smelling is in fact gas.

Water heaters whether gas or electric will last you about 8 to 12 years if you take good care of them. 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. See below for a visual illustration of a gas water heater shut down. This can happen on the water heater itself associated pipes or any nearby appliance.

I can smell it. 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. If the tank has ruptured and is leaking the water heater cannot be fixed and it must be replaced. 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 minor nuisance can turn into a significant problem before you know it so it is something that should be handled quickly and professionally. Most people know that when their water heater is leaking it means bad news. There should be a dedicated gas shut off valve on the gas line leading to the tank. A small trickle of water can be easily cleaned up with minimal damage to your floors.

My gas water heater is certainly leaking gas.