For many of us, it’s our worst nightmare – noticing water leaking from our home’s hot water heater. No matter how serious the leak, you know that you’ve got a big problem on your hands that needs to be fixed, and fast!

Water heater leak repair is not something you should handle on your own, especially in an emergency situation. However, until you can get a repair technician in to address the leak, you can take some steps to prevent further leakage and damage to your water heater and surrounding property.

When you notice a leak coming from your hot water heater, here’s what you can do:

1. Turn Off the Water and Gas/Electric
   The first step is to shut off the water supply to your water heater and turn off what is heating it (either gas or electricity). Find the cold water supply and turn the lever clockwise to turn it off. Look for an ON/OFF switch or dial and turn it to the OFF position to shut the power down.
2. Call for Water Heater Leak Repair
   Now that your hot water heater is safely shut off and the leak is stopped or slowed, call your local emergency water heater repair service for help.
3. Check the Drain Valve

Most leaks will come from the bottom of the tank, so start by checking the drain valve to see if it is the source of the leak. This is an inexpensive repair that requires the replacement of the drain valve altogether.

4. Look at the Bottom of the Tank
   If the source of the leak is the tank itself, you have a much larger issue on your hands. A leaking tank likely indicates that it has corroded due to sediment buildup. In this case, you will need to replace the hot water tank entirely.
5. Check the Temperature & Pressure Relief Valve
   If the leak is coming from further up the tank, the temperature and pressure relief valve may be the cause. If this valve is leaking, it could mean a faulty valve, or it could be releasing excess pressure or water due to pressure built up inside the tank. In either case, a professional can diagnose and repair the problem.
6. Drain the Tank
   To stop leakage altogether, you’ll need to completely drain the holding tank using the drain valve. Read our handy guide, How to Drain a Hot Water Heater to learn more, or wait until your repair technician arrives for assistance.

If you need immediate assistance with water heater leak repair, don’t hesitate to call Evam Canada. Our experienced repair team is available anytime to address your leaky water heater and stop it from becoming a bigger problem.

For emergency leak repair now, call us at 1-905-624-5544.