Water Leaking From Water Heater Drain Valve

Hot water heater drain valves are prone to leaking and breakage.

Water leaking from water heater drain valve.

Sometimes it is the valve itself that is leaking and for older tanks it can be the flange around the valve that leaks. A leaking hot water drain valve wastes energy and can ruin anything in the immediate area. Like all water valves the drain valve on your water heater can wear out and leak. Often an electric water heater will leak at the drain valve if the washer inside the valve is worn or damaged.

The function of the drain valve is to allow the tank to be emptied during replacement or repair so water is only supposed to come out of it when the valve is intentionally opened generally after attaching a hose. Regular maintenance performed on a water heater will prolong the life of the unit. A leaky water heater drain valve can cause a multitude of problems from electrical fire to flooded floors and mold and mildew build up. Often this happens after you drain the water heater as part of the regular maintenance of the unit but it can happen anytime.

Not sure if the leak is coming from your drain valve. A hot water heater leak by the drain valve may also be caused by a worn out washer. Over the years this plastic can become brittle and when the valve is used to empty the drain tank the plastic can crack which can cause a leak. A water heater drain valve can start leaking and give you problems.

See the article leaking hot water heaters to troubleshoot your problem. To check this loosen the screw that secures the handle on the drain valve faucet with. Replacing the washer should fix your leaky valve but if it doesn t you may have a more serious problem. Failing gasket plastic drain valves also use a rubber gasket that deteriorates over time.

Worn out plastic some hot water tank drain valves are made of plastic. While you can repair similar valves such as garden spigots it s not a good idea to attempt a repair on a water heater drain valve. If the repair isn t successful you ll have water leaking into your house.