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Subject Author Date
Elec. Water Heater Leak Alison 03-02-2008
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Posted by Alison on March 18, 2008, 7:49 pm
On Mar 3, 9:36=A0am, trad...@optonline.net wrote:
>
>
> > news:38283cba-ba77-4503-b7b3-
>
> > > WHY DOESN'T IT LEAK UNTIL REHEATED? =A0(this could just be our
> > > interpretation. =A0I had theorized that residual water is draining out=

> > > from the insulation, but it stops dripping while the unit is drained
> > > and for several hrs after refilling).
>
> > > Thanks for your advice.
>
> > Because the tank expands a bit when the water's hot. =A0Loose pipe somew=
here
> > or T&P valve?
>
> This part concerns me:
>
> "We know it was pooled up
> at the top of the water heater as well, and leaking down the outside
> from the top. =A0Husband theorized that the water leaked out of the
> lower element port, filled up the space between the insulation and
> the
> tank, all the way up to the top of the unit and began pooling there. "
>
> It seems unlikely to me that a leak like this is going to be able to
> fill the entire tank surround up to the point that it overflows from
> the top. =A0The access panels, etc are not water tight.
>
> I'd get the pipe connection points at the top of the tank dry, then
> put some paper towels around them. =A0Keep an eye on it, leave the
> access panel off and see if the towels get wet. =A0If you're sure it's
> not a pipe connection, then I'd call the tank manufacturer about the
> warranty.
>
> If you do get the warranty involved, please report back how it works
> for you. =A0 There was a lengthy discussion here a few weeks ago, where
> a person shopping for a new tank dismissed warranties as worthless.
> I'd be interested in hearing how it works for you, how you had to
> proceed with the claim, etc.

Hello.
Thank you all for the benefit of your experiences and expertise; the
existence of the sacrificial anode was a surprise to me (and most
everyone else I've mentioned it to since) - seems like a little
secret; aside from a picture in the manual, there's really nothing
about PM-ing it.

While I don't know for sure if the tank was leaking (don't know what
else it could be, because we checked every other orifice of the
thing), the technician (who took 4 days to get there) took one look at
all we'd done and immediately offered to replace the tank. We took
the tank, but installed it ourselves since installation would have
cost us $300 (I use the royal "we" here -- my husband did 100% of the
work). So, I am happy to report that Sears didn't blink about the
warranty.

Thanks Again!

Posted by =?ISO-8859-1?Q?=22Blattus_Slaf on March 3, 2008, 4:13 pm
Alison wrote:
> Unit is 3.5 yrs old. Discovered leak yesterday and cannot quite
> determine the the source. The thermostat and lower element are about
> 12 inches above the bottom of the unit, and when my husband removed
> the access panel, water spilled out there. We know it was pooled up
> at the top of the water heater as well, and leaking down the outside
> from the top. Husband theorized that the water leaked out of the
> lower element port, filled up the space between the insulation and
> the
> tank, all the way up to the top of the unit and began pooling there.
>
> After replacing the lower element and refilling the first time
> yesterday mid-afternoon, it did not begin to leak until late last
> night -- coincidentally after the water was fully reheated.
>
>
> This morning, after turning the unit off, draining it, carving away
> the insulation and checking for water around the anode port, we can
> tell the leak is not coming from anywhere on the top of the WH. It
> did not begin to leak today until about 5 hrs later -- coincidentally
> after fully reheating. It is currently leaking from the very very
> bottom: there is an exterior metal skin like a pan, identical to the
> "skin" my husband pried off of the top to get to the insulation and
> anode. It is leaking from the seam between the "side skin" and the
> "bottom pan."
>
> It does not APPEAR to be leaking from the T&P valve.
>
> It does not appear to be the drain valve leaking, although we can't
> see it. My husband tucked a paper towel in there and it came out dry.
> The plastic tube that the valve sticks protrudes through is so darn
> close, you just can't see wetness, even with a flashlight.
>
> Does it sound like the tank leaking (and thus subject to the
> warranty.
> We didn't want to pay $100 for a tech visit -- 4 days from now, btw
> --
> to find out it's the $15 anode)?
>
> WHY DOESN'T IT LEAK UNTIL REHEATED? (this could just be our
> interpretation. I had theorized that residual water is draining out
> from the insulation, but it stops dripping while the unit is drained
> and for several hrs after refilling).
>
> Thanks for your advice.
>
>
If you can't get a warranty replacement, most are for 6 to 12 years, you
may have to remove the outer skin completely and all the insulation and
carefully observe it. You didn't mention the high pressure relief valve
connection, check that. If you have a crack or rust hole in the tank
itself, might as well replace it.

--
Blattus Slafaly ? 3 :) 7/8

Posted by Mark on March 3, 2008, 9:37 pm

> Unit is 3.5 yrs old. Discovered leak yesterday and cannot quite
> determine the the source. The thermostat and lower element are about
> 12 inches above the bottom of the unit, and when my husband removed
> the access panel, water spilled out there. We know it was pooled up
> at the top of the water heater as well, and leaking down the outside
> from the top. Husband theorized that the water leaked out of the
> lower element port, filled up the space between the insulation and
> the
> tank, all the way up to the top of the unit and began pooling there.
>
> After replacing the lower element and refilling the first time
> yesterday mid-afternoon, it did not begin to leak until late last
> night -- coincidentally after the water was fully reheated.
>
>
> This morning, after turning the unit off, draining it, carving away
> the insulation and checking for water around the anode port, we can
> tell the leak is not coming from anywhere on the top of the WH. It
> did not begin to leak today until about 5 hrs later -- coincidentally
> after fully reheating. It is currently leaking from the very very
> bottom: there is an exterior metal skin like a pan, identical to the
> "skin" my husband pried off of the top to get to the insulation and
> anode. It is leaking from the seam between the "side skin" and the
> "bottom pan."
>
> It does not APPEAR to be leaking from the T&P valve.
>
> It does not appear to be the drain valve leaking, although we can't
> see it. My husband tucked a paper towel in there and it came out dry.
> The plastic tube that the valve sticks protrudes through is so darn
> close, you just can't see wetness, even with a flashlight.
>
> Does it sound like the tank leaking (and thus subject to the
> warranty.
> We didn't want to pay $100 for a tech visit -- 4 days from now, btw
> --
> to find out it's the $15 anode)?
>
> WHY DOESN'T IT LEAK UNTIL REHEATED? (this could just be our
> interpretation. I had theorized that residual water is draining out
> from the insulation, but it stops dripping while the unit is drained
> and for several hrs after refilling).
>
> Thanks for your advice.
>
>

Sounds like you've done enough to the tank at this point that you may have
voided any warranty.


Posted by Bob F on March 4, 2008, 12:51 pm

> Unit is 3.5 yrs old. Discovered leak yesterday and cannot quite
> determine the the source. The thermostat and lower element are about
> 12 inches above the bottom of the unit, and when my husband removed
> the access panel, water spilled out there. We know it was pooled up
> at the top of the water heater as well, and leaking down the outside
> from the top. Husband theorized that the water leaked out of the
> lower element port, filled up the space between the insulation and
> the
> tank, all the way up to the top of the unit and began pooling there.
>
> After replacing the lower element and refilling the first time
> yesterday mid-afternoon, it did not begin to leak until late last
> night -- coincidentally after the water was fully reheated.
>
>
> This morning, after turning the unit off, draining it, carving away
> the insulation and checking for water around the anode port, we can
> tell the leak is not coming from anywhere on the top of the WH. It
> did not begin to leak today until about 5 hrs later -- coincidentally
> after fully reheating. It is currently leaking from the very very
> bottom: there is an exterior metal skin like a pan, identical to the
> "skin" my husband pried off of the top to get to the insulation and
> anode. It is leaking from the seam between the "side skin" and the
> "bottom pan."
>
> It does not APPEAR to be leaking from the T&P valve.
>
> It does not appear to be the drain valve leaking, although we can't
> see it. My husband tucked a paper towel in there and it came out dry.
> The plastic tube that the valve sticks protrudes through is so darn
> close, you just can't see wetness, even with a flashlight.
>
> Does it sound like the tank leaking (and thus subject to the
> warranty.
> We didn't want to pay $100 for a tech visit -- 4 days from now, btw
> --
> to find out it's the $15 anode)?
>
> WHY DOESN'T IT LEAK UNTIL REHEATED? (this could just be our
> interpretation. I had theorized that residual water is draining out
> from the insulation, but it stops dripping while the unit is drained
> and for several hrs after refilling).

Do you have a check valve or regulator where the water comes into the house? If
so, do you have an expansion tank to allow for expansion of the water as it
heats? If not, that could help cause leaks.



Posted by Jimmie D on March 16, 2008, 11:39 am

> Unit is 3.5 yrs old. Discovered leak yesterday and cannot quite
> determine the the source. The thermostat and lower element are about
> 12 inches above the bottom of the unit, and when my husband removed
> the access panel, water spilled out there. We know it was pooled up
> at the top of the water heater as well, and leaking down the outside
> from the top. Husband theorized that the water leaked out of the
> lower element port, filled up the space between the insulation and
> the
> tank, all the way up to the top of the unit and began pooling there.
>
> After replacing the lower element and refilling the first time
> yesterday mid-afternoon, it did not begin to leak until late last
> night -- coincidentally after the water was fully reheated.
>
>
> This morning, after turning the unit off, draining it, carving away
> the insulation and checking for water around the anode port, we can
> tell the leak is not coming from anywhere on the top of the WH. It
> did not begin to leak today until about 5 hrs later -- coincidentally
> after fully reheating. It is currently leaking from the very very
> bottom: there is an exterior metal skin like a pan, identical to the
> "skin" my husband pried off of the top to get to the insulation and
> anode. It is leaking from the seam between the "side skin" and the
> "bottom pan."
>
> It does not APPEAR to be leaking from the T&P valve.
>
> It does not appear to be the drain valve leaking, although we can't
> see it. My husband tucked a paper towel in there and it came out dry.
> The plastic tube that the valve sticks protrudes through is so darn
> close, you just can't see wetness, even with a flashlight.
>
> Does it sound like the tank leaking (and thus subject to the
> warranty.
> We didn't want to pay $100 for a tech visit -- 4 days from now, btw
> --
> to find out it's the $15 anode)?
>
> WHY DOESN'T IT LEAK UNTIL REHEATED? (this could just be our
> interpretation. I had theorized that residual water is draining out
> from the insulation, but it stops dripping while the unit is drained
> and for several hrs after refilling).
>
> Thanks for your advice.
>
>
This sounds very much like the problem I had. It was the T&P valve but not
coming through the valve, it was around it. I removed the valve applied
Teflon tape and tightened it back. No more problems. It was a pain to find.
Water would puddle at the bottom of the heater but the heater was dry. I
reason this to be because the litle drops of water would roll down the tank
and the trail would quickly dry. My advice would be to just tighten
everything and see if the leak quits.

My T&P was found to be only hand-tight.

Jimmie



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