hot water heater leaking.

[skunkman]

I had both of my hot water heaters replaced about 18 months ago. They are in the garage. Today I went into the closet where they are stored and I noticed about an inch of water in the plastic tray under BOTH heaters. Is thisnin any was normal?

[Bob Cowan]

A decent water heater should last about 10 years. If you have a failure before that, it's probably not the water heater. Especially if two of them fail at the same time.

[Thanatopsis]

I blame it on the zombie in the crate.

[jchigley5]

From experience, this is usually caused by too much water pressure. Also, make sure they have expansion tanks. It would be leaking out of the t&p valve.

[bwana50]

Unusual, but not impossible. We moved into brand-new base housing once, and the water heater sprang a leak about 6 months later.

[Cobra Cory]

Yep definitely get expansion tanks and check your water pressure.
Look into Marathon heaters. Much better and more efficient than the regular steel tanks.

Marathon Water Heaters

Also check with your electric company and see if they give you a special rate on buying a Marathon heater. I know ours does.


http://www.nhec.com/filerepository/m...ist04_2010.pdf

Of course that is if you have electric ones.....

[Hoosier]

Not normal....

Good news is they all have 5 to 10 year warranties on the tanks so if that is the issue, at least the heater itself is covered under warranty...labor, not so much.

It could be:

Leaking Tank
Leaking around heating element(electric heater)
Too much pressure causing T&P valve to release
Too much heat causing T&P valve to release
Faulty T&P valve

The addition of an expansion tank is a necessary item in this day and age. As the heater heats, pressure is created. If there is a check valve somewhere between your heater and the utility company's water main, there is nowhere for this pressure to be released causing the T&P valve to open so as to release the excessive pressure.

[trevor]

Can be all those problems listed in addition to very acidic water. If you are on a well I would get the water analyzed.

[tim-in-oakton]

Locate the leak first, it is not unusual to tie both tubs together to a single (clogged) drain so you may not have two leaks. I'm going to bet on a single leak from an installation issue - keep us posted

[skunkman]

Thanks for the input - I'll check into it tonight. I don't think there is an expansion tank on the units.

[BigLeo69]

check it by pulling up on it. the tank may have too high of a setting for temp.
sometimes the relief valve blows and will show water. its doing its job but they can fail and get stuck with debris.

one big thing is type of water in your area.

St. louis we got some good sh!t here so tanks last along time, some use dielectric fittings i think they suck, the Galv. fitting will oxidize the iron pipe into the tank.
the best way is to go from the copper supply to brass then to the tank fittings.
the dielectric actually will oxidize inside and slow the supply water pressure, i have seen it many times and have spoke to many plumbers over the years about it.