HELP! Water heater is leaking

lawren2 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-07-2010, 12:44 PM

I'm afraid this one is more beyond me than the lawn mower issue....

There are 2 pipes with valves leading into my 14? year old 40 gallon gas water heater. I have turned them both as far clockwise as I can (I'm assuming right turns them off and not on). I have turned off the pilot light.

Am I correct in thinking the faucet thing is the drain and I should connect hose and lead that over to the sump pump hole?

I'm guessing we can do without hot water for a day so I don't have to pay an emergency call but will this effect my hot water base board heat or is that independent and goes off the big blue box that's next to the water heater.

I DID NOT NEED THIS!!!!!

JLB · #2 (**permalink**) 02-07-2010, 12:53 PM

Bummer.

After turning off its water supply, is it still leaking?

Do you mean you are trying to drain it? (if so, there is likely a faucet at the bottom where you can attach a garden hose. If you can, do that and run the hose outside.)

What is your intention, to replace it yourself or to have someone come do it? Places like Lowe's/Home Depot have people on call for installations, and they will take the old one.

Ours is electric, and the bottom electrode corrodes over because of minerals in our water, until it shorts it out. Then it's a bitch to replace.

GrayFal · #3 (**permalink**) 02-07-2010, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawren2

I'm afraid this one is more beyond me than the lawn mower issue....

There are 2 pipes with valves leading into my 14? year old 40 gallon gas water heater. I have turned them both as far clockwise as I can (I'm assuming right turns them off and not on). I have turned off the pilot light.

Am I correct in thinking the faucet thing is the drain and I should connect hose and lead that over to the sump pump hole?

I'm guessing we can do without hot water for a day so I don't have to pay an emergency call but will this effect my hot water base board heat or is that independent and goes off the big blue box that's next to the water heater.

I DID NOT NEED THIS!!!!!

As long as your water heater is separate from your furnace - they are two separate things, right??? this will not affect your heat.

Your furnace is probably a square looking thing - is that correct?

Yes, DH says that the faucet on the bottom is the way to drain the heater....do it to prevent a flood but also turn off the cold water coming into the heater,,,,that will buy u some time.

GrayFal · #4 (**permalink**) 02-07-2010, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawren2

.

Am I correct in thinking the faucet thing is the drain and I should connect hose and lead that over to the sump pump hole?

Yes

Marti · #5 (**permalink**) 02-07-2010, 01:02 PM

How to Flush & Drain a Water Heater

Before draining and flushing your water heater, turn off the gas or electric power (depending on whether it is a gas or electric water heater) and let the water cool a little. Close the incoming water valve and attach a hose to the drain valve to run the water into a bucket or to a drain.

Open the drain valve and open one hot water faucet somewhere in the house to let in air. When all water has drained from the water heater, turn the cold water valve on and off until the water from the drain runs clear. Then close the drain valve and the hot water faucet, open the cold water valve, and turn the water back on.

This is also a good time to test the temperature-pressure relief valve, which keeps pressure in the boiler from building up too much. Lift or lower its handle. Water should drain from the overflow pipe.

wackymother · #6 (**permalink**) 02-07-2010, 01:05 PM

And call the plumber or Home Depot or Lowe's, because once the hot water heater starts leaking like that, I think it's all over. You don't want to pay emergency rates, but you'll want them to come tomorrow, so you want to be at the top of the list.

In our area PSE&G also has emergency service. I guess you don't have appliance insurance on the hot water heater, do you? It's the kind of thing I tend to forget in a crisis.

lawren2 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-07-2010, 01:06 PM

Thanks for the prompt replies you life savers you.

Both the valves are on the cold water feed. I have turned them as far as I can and am now draining into the sump pump. I think I have it compeletely off as I no longer hear water running in the house. That's what took me so long to react as I ran a wash earlier. I started thinking I'd better go check as the noise was going on a lot longer than a normal wash cycle...

As long as I have heat I can deal with the rest of this tomorrow. I stil have a good 10 or so gallons of water on the basement floor but the water appears to have stopped leaking out of the bottome and is content to go down the hose.

Someone is going to have to come in and I'll probably call the folks that have been doing my c/a and replaced the water heater originally instead of Lowes.

wackymother · #8 (**permalink**) 02-07-2010, 01:08 PM

Damn.

GrayFal · #9 (**permalink**) 02-07-2010, 01:11 PM

You might want to call Lowes to see what they charge just so u have a comparison to your other guys - it could be quite a difference.
Plan on having that smelly teenager shower at a friends tonight.

Marti · #10 (**permalink**) 02-07-2010, 01:20 PM

Baseboard hot water heating systems work on the principle that heat rises.

The radiators that bring warmth into the room are therefore installed low to the floor, typically along the baseboard. Water is heated in a boiler tank in the utility room just as water is heated for your hot water, either by gas, oil or electricity in a system separate from the water heater that supplies your plumbing system.