A leaking water heater: what to do right now
Five steps while you wait for the plumber
A small drip from a pipe fitting is a repair. Water coming from the bottom or the seam of the tank means the steel has failed, and a tank that has failed cannot be patched.
- Close the cold water shutoff valve above the tank, usually a handle or wheel on the inlet pipe.
- Turn a gas unit's control knob to off or pilot, or switch the electric unit's breaker off.
- Open a hot water tap upstairs to relieve pressure and drain the lines.
- Move boxes and stored items away from the floor around the tank.
- Do not touch the heater or stand in water near it if the electric unit is still on.
How to tell whether the tank is finished
Age, symptoms and the condition of the tank together decide it. A plumber looks at all three rather than just the date on the label.
| What you see | What it usually means | Likely answer |
|---|---|---|
| Water pooling under the tank body | The steel liner has corroded through | Replace |
| Rusty or brown hot water only | Corrosion inside the tank | Replace if the anode rod is gone, repair if not |
| Popping or rumbling at heat-up | Sediment baked onto the tank bottom | Flush, or replace if the tank is old |
| No hot water, pilot will not stay lit | Thermocouple or gas valve fault | Repair in most cases |
| Hot water runs out fast | Failed heating element or heavy sediment | Repair, unless the tank is near the end of its life |
How long a tank water heater lasts
Conventional tank heaters generally run for roughly a decade, sometimes a few years longer. Check the data plate on the side of your unit. The serial number usually encodes the month and year it was made, and the manufacturer's website or the plumber can decode it.
Water chemistry changes that. Hard water leaves scale inside the tank and on the elements, and the City of El Reno publishes water quality information you can ask for. If you do not know your hardness, a test strip from a hardware store tells you in a minute. A water softener can slow the scale that shortens a heater's life.
Hot water gone?
Call the 24/7 line. A licensed plumber can be scheduled the same day when one is free.
What you can choose when the old tank is replaced
Same-size tank, same fuel
The fastest swap. Gas stays gas, electric stays electric, and the existing connections are reused where they are sound.
Larger tank
A bigger tank helps a growing household, but it must fit the closet and meet venting and clearance rules.
Tankless unit
Heats on demand and takes up little space, but needs a proper gas line or electrical supply. See tankless water heaters.
Fuel change
Switching between gas and electric means new lines or a new circuit, so it takes longer and costs more.
What El Reno code asks of a new heater
El Reno adopts the International Plumbing Code (IPC) with local amendments, and plumbing work by contractors must be done by a state-licensed plumber who is also registered with the city. A new water heater normally needs a temperature and pressure relief valve piped to a safe termination, proper venting for gas units, and an expansion tank where the system is closed.
Ask the plumber whether a permit applies and who pulls it. You can also confirm any plumber's state license on the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board lookup, and call El Reno Community Development at 405-262-2000 about permit rules. Because rules vary, get the answer in writing before the work starts.
What affects the cost of a replacement
A sudden leak damages floors quickly. Check whether your homeowner policy covers sudden water damage, and photograph the tank and the floor before anything is moved.
Water heater replacement questions
Yes. The line is answered 24/7, including holidays. A licensed plumber is scheduled the same day when one is available. Tell the dispatcher whether the tank is gas or electric and whether it is leaking.
If the leak is from a fitting, valve or the relief line, often yes. If water is coming from the tank body, the steel is failing and the tank needs to be replaced.
A like-for-like swap commonly takes a few hours. Moving the unit, changing fuel or fixing venting adds time, and the plumber should tell you the timeline with the price.
Ask when you book. Hauling the old unit is a normal part of a replacement and should be confirmed in the price.
Keep what you have unless there is a reason to change. Gas needs a gas line and a vent. Electric needs a dedicated circuit. The plumber can explain what your house already has.
Often yes. Ask El Reno Community Development at 405-262-2000, or ask your plumber who handles it. Rules vary, so confirm before the job.
Related plumbing help
First-time install
New construction or a new location? See water heater installation.
Flooded floor
If the tank has already burst, burst pipe repair covers the lines that fed it.
Yukon homes
We also serve Yukon, 73099, where many homes date from the 1970s and 1980s.