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Hot Water Heater Leaking At Top

D

Dave

I am currently experiencing a slow leak in my water heater. I have a Bradford White water heater Model MIITW40S5CN10.

The leak is not coming from underneath as I would have expected with a leak, but between the seam separating the motor blower section of the how water heater (top) and the main tank.

Anyone know what could be causing this?
 
D

Dave

16 year old hot water heater. I am in Voorhees NJ.

I flushed the tank, and refilled it. The water looked clear coming out.

This is a gas water heater heater btw.

When I took off the top casing it appears that some water has made it up to the top chamber and has pooled near the screws/seam.

The srews have rusted some, and this is where the water is leaking from. I am not sure if simply jamming some plumbers putty in the area connecting the top chamber and lower tank is sufficient to resolve this.
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
16 years isn't bad for a gas hot water heater. Not worth fixing...although I have no idea what you are talking about concerning a blower and top casing. A conventional 40 gallon gas hot water heater has a three inch (sometimes 4") vent pipe coming out the top and a cold water inlet and hot water outlet. The rest is just a big tank with a heating element and pilot light system on the bottom. If you are handy, pick up a 40 g at home depot and pop it in. With the flex line they sell today, you don't have to do any sweating of copper or fitting of black pipe. Use pipe dope or telfon tape with wrenches...done.

Typically they come with a ten year warentee. The most I've seen someone get out of a heater is 22 years.

If I lived closer, I'd come over and help. Good luck
 
D

Dave

Thanks. I think the blower is because it has a humidifier as part of the unit. So I believe this accounts for the top motor/blower.
 
H

hurtback

i got 18 years outa mine---and i had a 20 year warrenty on it---and it started leaking from the top---i went to HD---bought one and within a few hours , was making hot water again---it is easy if your handy---
---( bought the new one, called the company, sent them my reciept, they sent me a check for what i paid for the new one )
pauls right---get some flex pipe, they have the compression fitting for water and away you go---i would buy a few extra compression fittings----just in case--i learned the hard may--1 time---i didnt buy extra fittings and i needed 1 more--store was closed---
so, buy extra--with a house you'll always need one.
good luck and have fun!!!
 
D

Dave

Thanks again. Any suggestions on brands? I usually intstall my own appliances, so I will probably do it again.

My only concern was the gas.
 
H

hurtback

same here---never did anything with gas before so i was a bit leary---i cleaned all fittings, used the pipe dope, then used soapy water around each fitting, with the gas on, if you had bubbles, you had a leak---no bubbles, your home free..........
 
Tazmaniancowboy

Tazmaniancowboy

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Dave said:
Sounds good.

Now I just have to research a little on which brand i want.
Click to expand...

LOL, research all you want, with the cheap crap hey make nowadays, I'd be surprised if you get close to 16 years! Sorry to hear about the heater. I had a couple of bad experiences and cringe when I hear problems like this. Good luck replacing

Taz
 
D

Dave

So it turns out that my water heater is a power vent, and is the actual reason for the blower/motor assembly on top.

this also means I do not have a chimney, but pvc pipe output.

If I did have a chimney though, it turns out the code just changed and I would need to install a 4 inch chimney instead of the standard 3 inch.

Any way you look at it, this no longer seems like an easy install.
 
S

Scottyrock

just go to home depot. get a new water heater (same btu and tank size) and new flex gas hose (good to change w/ water heater)... swap out is simple. the depot is pretty much cheapest around
 
D

Dave

Part of the problem is the water pipes are welded on top, not with connectors.

To remove the old water heater will require cutting pipe, and welding new connectors.

This goes beyond what I am willing to take on.

Anyone have experience with the tankless water heaters?
 
H

hurtback

sweating pipe is really easy---what i did was sweat ( solder) a length of pipe in the hot water heater---once you've done that---you can easly connect the pipes ( the pipes soldered into the hot water heater with the pipe going into and out of the hot water heater) using the compression fittings
 
S

Scottyrock

yeah i installed a tankless water heater in one of our burgerkings. kinda expensive, but are very efficient, and come with a pretty large rebate if i remember correctly
 
M

Mbodell

Give me a call at work and I can hook you up with something. Barton Supply 856-429-6500 ask for Mike B. We are in Cherry Hill. We sell a new tankless that vents through pvc or rheem powervent. I can help you figure out what you need to get it all done.

Also don't use water on black gas pipe. It will rust they make a special fluid for testing leaks.
 
Nickjr000

Nickjr000

I have a customer with a powervent ( 40 or 50 ) heater they want to sell. I know they are a 1000 new . I put this in for them they used it for about 2 months and complained the fan was too loud. I listened to it, it was normal. Problem was they do make a little noise but it was under their bedroom and no insulation between it and them. Let me know it will be cheap!
 
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