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Common Causes of Hot Water Tank Leaks

It never fails. Just when you think everything is going smoothly as a homeowner — your lawn looks fabulous, your gutters are clear, and your paint job is fresh — your hot water tank starts to leak. You don’t even have time to relax from your last project and now you have to figure out the cause of your leaking hot water tank. Give these common causes a look first before calling a plumber.

Your Tank is Old

Age plays a huge role in a leaky water tank. Parts wear out, seals dry up, and cracks can even form as a tank gets older than about 15 years. Occasionally, rust can even form in the tank, which can eat through the metal, causing holes in the side of the tank. Of course, even small openings will lead to a leak, and big holes can cause a major flood. For this reason, you should have your water tank inspected yearly to make sure it’s still in good condition and not prone to rust. This is also a great time to have the seals and parts checked out as well.

Leaky Drain Valve

Your hot water tank’s drain valve is designed to let the water in the tank out, but only when you want it to. For instance, if your water tank needs to be cleaned or maintained, it has to be empty, so you’ll use the drain valve to get the water out and sometimes its blocked so you can call blocked drains Sydney plumber who will assist you on that. Unfortunately, the drain valve is also a weak spot on your water tank because over time and with use, it becomes loose. If the water is leaking from the base of the valve, it is no longer creating a watertight seal against the tank and will need to be replaced.

Sediment

If you don’t regularly clean your water tank, sediment will collect at the bottom of the tank and the amount of sediment increases with age. Eventually, this buildup of sediment will crack the tank and cause leaks. If this happens, cracks cannot be repaired and your water tank will need to be replaced entirely with a new one. This is why professionals recommend you have your tank inspected and cleaned at least once a year. With regular cleanings, sediment doesn’t have a chance to accumulate beyond a certain amount and never gets to the point where it will crack the tank.

Inlet and Outlet Connections

The inlet connection is where cold water enters the tank and the outlet connection is where hot water leaves the tank and is distributed throughout your pipes to your faucets. These connections need to be watertight or the water will leak at the junction where the inlet or outlet meets the water tank. If they aren’t tightened properly, a new water tank will leak, but even if they are tightened when the tank is first installed, they can loosen over time. When they are no longer tight, water can escape, causing a leak around the connection. Fortunately, these can be replaced without having to also replace the entire water tank.

Conclusion

If you have a leaking water tank, don’t panic. It might be something small that can be easily replaced. If you aren’t able to find the source of the leak, though, be sure to call a plumber for help so you can get it taken care of quickly.

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