
Turn this clockwise all the way to shut off the water. Look for a small black, blue or red tape or lever isolation valve on the pipe leading into the bottom of the unit. This is applicable for electric, solar and gas hot water services. The next step you need take is to turn off the water on the inlet pipe to the unit.
#Hot water heater leaking from overflow pipe install#
Our fully qualified plumbers and gasfitters can tackle any repairs or install a new hot water unit to give you access to reliable hot water. You don’t want to run the heating element when the cylinder is nearly empty as it will burn out. The hot water system should have its own labelled fuse or circuit breaker, so you should still be able to run other appliances and lights in your home. This is important because electricity and water is potentially very dangerous. If the leak is coming from the top or bottom of your electric or solar hot water system, you need to turn off the power to it at your switch board. This repair will prolong the life of your entire system and stop water wastage so it’s well worth doing. But if it keeps running then you probably need to replace the valve. If the water flow comes to a stop then your problem is solved. It’s normal for these valves to leak small amounts of water occasionally, but not all the time and not a consistent flow.įind the PTRV valve on the side of the cylinder near the top or bottom, then lift the silver lever three or four times to open, close and clear any blockages. If you determine it’s the PRV or PTRV, then your problem might not be so serious. Is it at the top or bottom of your hot water cylinder? Or is it leaking from the pressure relief valve (PRV) or pressure and temperature relief valve (PTRV)? Identify the leakīefore you call plumber in Auckland, you should first check the source of the leak. You can usually find the age of your hot water system by looking for a manufacturer’s badge plate on the cylinder or unit and record the manufacturing date on it.įollow these useful steps when you have a hot water leak. Some areas of Auckland have hard water which often leads to cylinder corrosion and while many hot water systems last longer than their warranty of five to seven years, the average lifespan is around 10 to 12 years. KD Plumbing recommend you act as soon as you realise your hot water system is leaking this is because what starts as a small simple problem could quickly turn into a much bigger one.Ī leak could indicate that your hot water service is corroding and once this has begun it will only get worse as time goes on. Generally, you only realize something is wrong when there is not enough hot water or worse, no hot water at all. A leaking hot water cylinder or hot water system is something you should repair swiftly for your safety.
