Electric Water Heater Leaking From Thermostat

How electric water heater thermostats work.

Electric water heater leaking from thermostat.

This can happen on the water heater itself associated pipes or any nearby appliance. A leaking drain valve can be identified by moisture or water dripping either out of the drain opening or around the valve itself. The other variable is that if the element has been leaking long enough it could be rusted into the heater and cannot be changed. An electrician should be called if the tank is an electric type but not leaking water.

Most electric hot water tanks have two elements and two thermostats. If the leak is from the element it may be fixable by installing a new one but if the tank itself is leaking then you need a new water heater. The elements do not heat up at the same time. Check the plumbing pipes above the water heater using a stepladder if necessary.

Check to make sure that the bottom valve is fully closed by turning the valve control clockwise. All water heaters have a drain near the bottom of the unit so that the tank can be emptied before removal or during routine cleaning of the tank itself. The top element heats the water first and then the bottom element kicks in. In some cases the actual tank is leaking and the only fix.

Any issues should be dealt with quickly. The water droplets can begin to drip on to the floor and you my suspect the puddle to be a leak. An electric water heater that s leaking from the bottom is typically because of normal condensation a leaking electric heating element gasket or a small amount of water being expelled through the overflow pipe because the t p valve is opening to release excess pressure in the tank. Before checking any electrical parts of a water heater shut off the power to the heater s circuit by turning off the appropriate breaker in your home s service panel breaker box.

Electric water heater thermostats do not leak. The first place to check is the plumbing pipes above the water heater. It can have a major influence on the service life of the heater. An electric water heater thermostat tells the heating elements when to heat up.

A drip from above can easily leak down on top of the water heater and even work its way down the insulation and make it look like the leak is coming from the tank itself. The anode rod is very important to the heath of your water heater. A plumber however should be called if it is a gas water heater is part of the heating system superstor or if the tank itself electric or any other type has failed leaking water requiring complete a replacement. Electric water heaters are high voltage 240 volt appliances that are dangerous to work with when the power is on.