The only way water steam can get into the attic is through the central heating tank or the hot water storage tank either through the expansion pipe or the outlets of the storage tanks.
Hot water tank leaking in attic.
Turn off the incoming water supply in the attic do this at the water stop at the top of the water heater.
There is a few ways an expansion pipe can have water running through the expansion pipe as list below.
The first place to check is the plumbing pipes above the water heater.
A fully insulated tank with the base exposed to a part of the attic floor which has been left un insulated to allow the heat from the house below to keep the tank from freezing in the winter.
The number one cause for claims against homeowner s insurance in texas every year is water damage.
Cold water inlet hot water outlet the cold water inlet and hot water outlet pipe connectors and fittings are typically located on the top of the water heater.
To turn the water feed off on a toilet cistern use the isolation valve.
If age and deterioration is the cause of your leak you will need to call a professional plumber to replace your water heater.
A drip from above can easily leak down on top of the water heater and even work its way down the insulation and make it look like the leak is coming from the tank itself.
These are the areas that are most likely to be leaking.
Possible causes of attic water heater leaks 1.
The cold water inlet is where the cold water enters the tank and the hot water outlet is where the hot water leaves the tank.
Leaks from a water heater can be major depending on where the leak is coming from damage can be to attic flooring insulation drywall and even flooring if it leaks a long time a 50 gallon water heater will overflow the pan and then some if it bursts or the bottom rusts out mold can form from the moisture in your attic.
Giant tanks of water happen to take up a lot of square footage and primarily for that reason many builders have opted to place water heaters in the attic of new homes.
Check the plumbing pipes above the water heater using a stepladder if necessary.
A fully insulated attic access hatch.
Lastly the most common cause of a leaking water tank.
Fully lagged pipe work again to stop it freezing in winter causing leaks.
Stop the water feed into either of the water tanks by turning the.
Turn off the water supply to your house do this in case the water leak is coming from the cold water line that is not.
The leak may actually be at the top of the water heater and simply running down through the body of the heater before escaping at a lower level.
Use a flat head screwdriver to turn the screw a quarter turn clockwise.
As discussed above when sediment builds up in the bottom of a water tank for years and years it will eventually corrode through the bottom of the tank and begin to leak.
Look for any visible signs of a leak on the top of the water heater and all pipes leading to or away from the heater.