Why does new water heater leak from bottom of tank?
Posted on | May 6, 2010 | 11 Comments
My husband just installed the new water heater today and it leaks from the bottom. it is a brand new water heater from home depo (G.E. brand)
thanks
This is a natural gas water heater. teflon tape was used on new flex lines and the water that is leaking from bottom is hot.
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11 Responses to “Why does new water heater leak from bottom of tank?”
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May 6th, 2010 @ 5:28 pm
Got to be the connections: Forget the inserts? Tight enough? It must be dripping down from there, watch out for getting water into the electrical sockets! Fix it RIGHT AWAY.
May 6th, 2010 @ 5:32 pm
Make sure all of the pipes are tight and just a suggestion I would put a pan under the water heater so If it leaks it wont cause mold or any other damage.
May 6th, 2010 @ 5:39 pm
Well it would be awfully surprising if it leaked from the top!
May 6th, 2010 @ 5:40 pm
It must be leaking from the new fittings inserted at the top and running down under the insulation and dripping out the bottom. Did you use pipe dope or teflon tape on the NPE fittings? If not you can’t get the fittings tight enough to not leak. As they are so close to the top of the tank you may not notice a small leak that causes dripping. Good luck.
May 6th, 2010 @ 6:35 pm
chance are it’s the connections which dribble to the bottom. there is a slight chance of a defect, but i doubt it.
May 6th, 2010 @ 7:08 pm
Larrythomas57 is on point here. If you didnt get the fittings at the top tight they will leak and drip into the insulation and come out of the bottom.
If you can see the water coming from around the sides that is the prob. It would have to be a major defect to have it coming from the tank itself.
May 6th, 2010 @ 7:39 pm
First off I hope he used dielectric nipples to put into the top of the tank. It keeps it from corroding.
It might be leaking at the top of the tank around these connections and just running down the inside walls making it look like it leanks at the bottom.
Or he could have just gotten a defective one.
I installed a 60 Gal. A.O.Smith electric heater and it is working just fine. We never seem to run out of hot water now.
Have him check very well around the top fittings
Hope you find your keak.
Then I would like to know how you come out with that project, but I don’t know how to do it on here.
May 6th, 2010 @ 8:06 pm
did you install the new t&p valve? it could be that it is not tight enough and therefore a leak running down the side through the insullation and thus looking like a leak from the top. double check all fittings hope this helps
May 6th, 2010 @ 8:06 pm
it could be from the condensation from the cold water, it should go away after the water has been heated up. it not then you need to look at you fitting for your hot and cold lines or your pressure relief valve
June 9th, 2010 @ 6:20 pm
we have a drip from the bottom it runs down the leg and it looks like the inner part where the little door is , to relight it we replaced the drain valve where the original leak was and its still dripping enought to get the wood wet
January 15th, 2011 @ 6:12 am
My gas water heater leaks at the very bottom of the inner outside steel skin at the opposite side of where the relif valve is and every visible connection is dry. I opened the relif valve for a few seconds and heard water come out normally no pressure or air. Also inside burner chamber is dry and working.
It’s a sears kennmore kept clean no rust looks new and it’s about 5 to 7 years old. Time to change?