The hot water heater in your home is an amazing device. It can rapidly provide heated water for showers, dishes, laundry, and so on and so forth. It can do this because as it empties it continuously refills, making its water supply basically unlimited. Unfortunately, its constant refilling ability can also cause some serious trouble, should the tank begin to leak. If undetected for several hours, depending on the severity of the leak, it could result in your home or office suffering some serious water damage. If you discover water near where your hot water tank is located be sure to take the following steps.
Step 1: Turn off the water
As soon as you find the water coming from your hot water heater, you'll want to close off the water supply line to the tank. This will generally be a pipe that leads from the main water line into the top of the hot water heater. There should be a valve near where the water supply line meets the tank, twist it clockwise to stop water from entering the tank.
Step 2: Turn off the power
There is an electric or gas heating element inside the hot water tank that is designed to be submerged. If the tank continuously empties the element will be left out to dry, which can turn it into a major fire hazard. While the element is designed to shut off by itself when water reaches a certain temperature, a leaking tank will likely cause it to malfunction and stay on. Find the breaker for the hot water tank in your electrical box and flip it, to ensure it is shut off.
Step 3: Contact an Emergency Plumber
Once the water and power are off you will want to contact an emergency plumber who can aid in the cleanup and repair of your hot water tank and plumbing system. You may also want to reach out to your insurance company, depending on how bad the damage is.
If you need emergency hot water tank repair in Kingwood or the surrounding area be sure to reach out to GAP Plumbing. We're available 24 hours a day to assist with plumbing emergencies, including hot water heater trouble. To learn more about our services or to request the assistance of an expert plumber in Kingwood or the surrounding area, call us at (281) 645-5406 today or contact us online.