Leaking water heater, what could this be?

abefroman

My water heater is leaking, I have water in the pan, and some on the floor as well.

Are there usually simple fixes for this, or is it more likely the thing is shot.

The energy saver sticker says 1994 on it, is that the year it was made?

TIA

ben's plumbing

pictures are worth 1000 words or in your case an answer to your question..ben sr

abefroman

The outside looks fine, I'm guessing the leak is inside, not sure how to open it.

Gymschu

Well, I'll say it since no one else has yet........the water heater has surpassed its lifespan, especially if it received little or no maintenance over the years. You're talking almost 20 years of service and the tank is likely deteriorating from the INSIDE OUT. Time to bite the bullet and get a new one. If it's electric you can get a replacement from your electrical service provider and make monthly payments. If it's gas, I'm sure the gas co. also has a similar program. Worth looking into.

abefroman

Dang, OK the big question, tank or tankless? (for gas)

I know its been brought up here before, whats the latest on these, early on tankless weren't that popular because no one knew how to service them.

TheEplumber

You'll get opinions both ways. There are several pros & cons threads here that address this. Perhaps try a site search.
Two big things to consider- Will your current gas supply handle it- Probably not.
How long are you willing to wait for the pay back from the cost of the tankless unit and gas piping

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abefroman

What size piping should I have for the tankless?

Currently I have half inch, which comes off a 3/4 inch, about 5 feet up and 3 feet over.

ben's plumbing

alot of tankless heaters require 3/4" feeds...but check with the manufactor of heater you want ...ben sr

TheEplumber

Here are a few threads-
Tankless Water Heater Info
**I just installed my RHEEM ECO-SENSE 180DVN3 tankless water heater
Would you invest in Tankless Water Heater?

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abefroman

Regarding the tank models, whats better atmospheric vent or power vent?

hvac benny

You'll need to have your gas piping assessed as a system to see if it can handle the load. Even if you had a 3/4" line to the water heater, it wouldn't necessarily mean you have enough capacity. Also, your gas meter and/or regulator may not be able to supply the demand for a tankless. I install larger meters and higher pressure regulators regularly because people have tankless water heaters installed.

747

Time for new water heater. Just put back what you have. OR spend more and go tank-less. There are alot of internal components to a tank-less. Not to mention they fire at higher BTU so gas line needs to be verified.

Alan

I would love someone to write a FAQ for tankless water heaters.... Me, I have pretty limited experience with them. What I do know about them, it aint good, so i'd be pretty biased IMO.

Volunteers?

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747

If you going tank less go RINNAI. This is what my plumber prefers.

plummen

How about a picture of what youve got so we have an idea of what you have to work with?

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