Causes of water leakage from the electric heater and how to deal with it

What causes water leakage from an electric heater? An electric heater has become a necessity these days, and there's hardly a home without one.

This is because it is very important in our lives in general, but heaters break down significantly in the winter due to their continuous use.

Water leakage is one of the most common problems affecting electric heaters, but it is not considered a major problem and there are many solutions to it without significant costs.

In some cases, it can be repaired at home. Problems may also occur with heaters due to the presence of limescale deposits that remain in the pipes and cause water blockage.

This causes problems in the heater, so in this article we will discuss in detail water leakage from the electric heater.

Is a leaking heater dangerous?

Water leakage is one of the most dangerous problems that you can face because if the heater is gas, this leakage causes complete damage to the heater.

This results in an increase in the pressure in the heater, which may lead to fires or explosions, especially if there is a fuel source nearby, whether it is a gas pipe or a tube.

How do I know if the heater is broken?

There are many signs that, when they occur, you can know that there is a problem with the heater, such as the following:

• If there is a heat leak or water does not arrive at the set temperature.
• The temperature is not stable until the water in the heater is used up.
• Heavy salt deposits on the heating element
• Loud noises coming out when the heater is operating.

Water leaking from the electric heater

There are many problems that occur with water heaters that require a technician to fix, and there are also minor problems that anyone can solve or fix.

One of them is the problem of water leakage from the heater. Before you call a technician for repair, you must take several steps, such as:

Check for water leaks

Sometimes it may happen that there are no leaks at all and what you think is a leak is actually condensation and nothing more.

This phenomenon occurs when temperatures rise significantly, and when the room temperature drops, water condenses and drops appear on the outer surface of the heater.

You can check this by wiping the outer surface of the heater, drying it well, and waiting a little while. If water droplets appear evenly at the same time, this is called condensation. This phenomenon does not pose a problem and does not affect the heater or its performance.

Cut off the power source

Before taking any action, you must disconnect the power sources to avoid any problems or dangers and to maintain the safety measures for the home and all its members.

Close cold water sources

You should also turn off the cold water supply before performing any repairs to the heater, as most heaters have color-coded pipes, red being hot and blue being cold.

You can close it by moving the special valve in the cold water pipe towards the close position.

Searching for sources of water leakage

After turning off the power and shutting off the cold water supply, you must carefully search for the source of the leak. You can do this by observing the locations where the water is leaking.

Then you clean and dry the heater and wait for a period of time until the water leaks again.

This will make it easy to detect water leaks. We also note that most problems related to water leaks from the water heater have solutions and you can solve them at home on your own.

If the leaks are coming from the top of the heater, you should check the pipes above the heater because sometimes the connections are loose or not tightened properly.

So when you install or tighten it correctly the problem is solved but if the leak is from the side of the heater or from below it in general the problem is with the temperature valve which may have a problem or be damaged if it is not adjusted well.

You can use the information in the heater's manual to find out the appropriate temperatures for the heater.

If this does not work, you must replace the valve, as it may be damaged. If these steps do not work, a technician will be needed to repair the heater, and you must contact us immediately to solve the problem.

What is a safety valve in an electric heater?

The safety valve in the water heater is one of the most important components in the water heater, because if it is damaged, it will lead to unwanted problems and many malfunctions in the water heater. The safety valve is installed in the cold water pipe, which is marked in blue, and it has two functions:

The water in the heater does not return to the inlet line, meaning that the hot and cold water do not return and there is an excess pressure leak in the heater when it exceeds eight bars.

The valve in the heater may perform two very important functions. The valve works to prevent the hot water from returning to cold water.

Water is not allowed to exit the heater, meaning that the cold water pipe in the heater has an opening at the bottom of the heater, which may be at the highest point of the tank in the heater, and the following may happen.

Water enters through the inlet pipe and therefore cannot come out of this pipe again because of the safety valve which ensures that water does not return from the pipe.

While it goes down to the hot water pipe because it is the outlet designated for the water to leave the tank, and here the function of the valve may be to prevent the water from returning from the cold water pipe if the water is cut off from the source, such as:

• Water outage in the area.
• Open the tap and let hot water flow.

This means that the damaged safety valve is a valve that allows water to enter and not exit. Care should be taken not to install valves made of fake brass, which may be widely available in the market.

Because it only performs the first function, which is water return, without the second, which is applying pressure, and its use is not completely safe, and it must be replaced with the same type and model.

Water leakage from the Ariston electric heater

There are several reasons why an electric heater may leak, such as the following:

The heater connections are damaged and invalid.

The reason for its damage may be the reaction of water with the material from which the heater is made, and over time, large leaks occur.

heating element

This part is responsible for heating the water in the heater and helping the water reach the required temperature.

However, if any damage occurs to this part, it will lead to high pressure in the heater, which will then cause water leakage problems. You can solve this problem by disconnecting the electricity from the device and draining the water from the heater. This can be done by lowering the heater and removing the water from it in order to maintain it.

There are problems inside the vessel in the heater.

The bowl is the place where the water is located inside the heater, in order to isolate the water from the rest of the heater components. Over time, this water deposits.

This leads to the impurity of the water coming out of the heater, and these deposits, over time, cause damage to the heater and cause significant water leakage into the heater.

resistance failure

An important component in water heating is electrical resistance. This is where the heater connects to electricity and the process of converting water from cold to hot begins, depending on the desired temperature. If this component stops, it will lead to water leakage, and over time, the device will be completely damaged.

Heavy salt accumulation on the heater

When water comes directly from the pipe and is full of sediments and salts, this leads to their accumulation in the heating part, which affects this part and after a while it stops and many leaks occur.

Damaged seal

Water heaters contain a special part that prevents water leakage. If that part is damaged, the problem of water leakage begins to appear significantly.