Water heater leaks in Anaheim

Hall-closet heaters

A number of 1950s and 1960s Anaheim homes put the water heater in a closet inside the house, next to a hallway or the kitchen. When it leaks, water goes straight onto interior flooring. If yours is indoors, check that it sits in a drain pan and that the relief valve's discharge pipe goes outside. Many older closets were built for smaller tanks, so a replacement may need a different size or a tankless unit.

Garage heaters

Garage installs in Anaheim are typically raised on a platform and strapped. Leaks there usually stay on the garage floor, which buys time, but they also go unnoticed longer. A rusty puddle, a wet platform, or a rumbling tank are signs to check.

Hard water and tank life

Anaheim's water is a blend of local groundwater and imported supply, and it's hard enough to build up scale in tanks over time. Annual flushing and checking the anode rod help, but many tanks here still reach the end of their life within about a decade. The manufacture date is coded into the serial number on the label.

Is it the heater or the slab?

Sometimes water around the heater isn't from the heater. In slab homes, a leak on the hot line just after it leaves the heater and dives into the slab can surface at the heater's base. If the tank looks dry and the meter keeps moving with fixtures off, ask the plumber to check for a slab leak.

What to do while you wait

The photo of the label lets the plumber see the tank's size and age before arriving, which helps them bring the right replacement if one is needed.

• Turn the gas control to Off or Pilot, or switch off the breaker for an electric heater
• Close the cold-water valve on top of the tank
• If the heater is in a hall closet, move rugs and use towels or a wet vac to protect flooring
• Don't open the drain valve on an old tank unless you're sure it will close again
• Photograph the leak and the label (which shows the model and serial number)