AHH! my hot water heater is leaking!!!

[mcveigh]

I walked into the laundry room and there is a ton of water on the floor!
I Haven't run the washing machine in a day, so it must be the water heater I figure. I went turn off the water into it and the handle is frozen!, there seems to be corrosion on the handle to turn off the cold water!!

anyone know of a spray or something I can put on that handle to at least get the water turned off!

 

[slick230]

Got a blowtorch handy?

 

[mcveigh]

nope

pilers and various chemicals

 

[Wanescotting]

Got a hammer?

 

[tami]

my mother had this problem on monday. she got them to fix it the following day. she had to clean all the water herself and it took several hours. that's gotta suck. you might just have to wait until morning and call an emergency repair person.

 

[mcveigh]

I'm going to see if my dad can help me and we do it ourselves.
I'm worried about hooking up the pipes though

I can go a few days with cold water

 

[slick230]

Try boiling some water and pouring it on the frozen handle. Maybe that will loosen it up?

 

[gutharius]

Originally posted by: slick230
Try boiling some water and pouring it on the frozen handle. Maybe that will loosen it up?

no he means it is rusted tight.

 

[mcveigh]

i'm in florida..no frozen pipes.

it looks like hard water scaling is around the stem.

 

[slick230]

Originally posted by: mcveigh
i'm in florida..no frozen pipes.

it looks like hard water scaling is around the stem.

Doh! Well, it's always good to boil water anyway. Never know when someone is gonna have a baby in your kitchen.

 

[So]

I suggest using uranium. If you can't stop the water, at least you won't be angry for long. :evil:

 

[flot]

Turn off the water going INTO your place instead. (IE the main line coming into your house / apt)

be sure to unplug the hot water heater, if the water inside leaks out and it doesn't refil while it's on, the elements will burn out

 

[0roo0roo]

? the rubber hoses in the back can burst.

 

[mcveigh]

Originally posted by: flot
Turn off the water going INTO your place instead. (IE the main line coming into your house / apt)

be sure to unplug the hot water heater, if the water inside leaks out and it doesn't refil while it's on, the elements will burn out

but then no water anywhere.

I'm going to flip the circuit breaker to the heater to make sure i don't start a fire

 

[drnickriviera]

When the tank is replaced make sure you use BALL valves. I never use gate valves and washered valves anymore. If they don't leak they freeze up. I also put the ball valve on both the hot and cold side of the heater. Why the hot? I once had a supply line break going to a sink. There was hot water all over the place so I couldn't turn it off under the sink. So I cut the cold water to the tank, but had to wait for the pressure to bleed off the tank. Add a valve to the hot side and the water is off in a second.

 

[0roo0roo]

the water is warm? u check the washing machines hoses?

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

you can take a screw driver and insert it in the spaces in the valve handle. if you you are worried about torqueing the handle off, then you can use two screw drivers to equalize the lateral load.

 

[lozina]

got chewing gum?

 

[flamingelephant]

If the valve is stuck open, then you will have to do this....

Shut off the main water valve into the house (yes, all your water will be off)

Get a hacksaw or tube cutter and cut the line above the stuck open valve, you will have to cut out about 6" of pipe. You will have to solder in another shutoff for now. Turn off the new valve, and turn back on the main water one.

Call someone to come and replace your hot water tank, they will solder in the new tank to your recently added valve.

Sorry buddy, its the only way.... hope you can solder

 

[farmercal]

WD-40 might loosen it up enough to turn it off. As someone else here said "check the washing maching hoses." If they are loose then they will leak. You don't have to run the washing machine for the hoses to leak water. If it was the hot water tank it would leak at the top where the water comes in, as I have had this problem before. Good Luck.

 

[woowoo]

Maybe the dog had to pee







Really bad







poor doggy...

 

[shilala]

To close the handle, all you need to do is loosen the packing nut beneath the handle. Use your pliers or a wrench to do that. Don't back it all the way off, just a turn or a little more. A shot of wd40 will loosen the corrosion (it's not really corrosion, it's built up lime and calcium from evaporation) and allow you to clean it off very easily.
Good Luck!!!

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
? the rubber hoses in the back can burst.

Rubber hoses?

 

[OutHouse]

why would you have a water heater to heat hot water?

I had the samething happen 2 years ago. the fricken builders did not put a cold water shutoff to my water heater (dumbasses put it for the hot water cut off) I had to turn off the water to the whole house. Of course it happend on a sat night and i had to tape the toilets shut so the kids wouldnt use them. Sunday morning went to office depot and got a valve with PVC glue and put a valve in so i could turn the water back on for the house, then to find my water heater and of course everybody was out of stock for the type of water heater my house is plummed for and is requried by code.

 

[aircooled]

farmercal, your PM's are turned off. I am unable to reply to your PM.