Walked into the basement and there's water on the floor under the heater? Take a breath. The next ten minutes matter, but the situation is almost always recoverable. Here's exactly what to do, in order.
Step 1: Turn off the water supply (30 seconds)
There's a valve on the cold-water inlet pipe at the top of the tank. Turn it clockwise until it stops. If it's seized or you can't find it, go to your home's main shutoff (usually near where the water line enters the house) and shut off the whole house. This is the most important step.
Step 2: Turn off the heat (1 minute)
Gas tank:rotate the gas control knob to OFF (it's on the side of the tank, near the floor).
Electric tank:turn off the dedicated breaker at your electrical panel — usually a double-pole 30-amp breaker labeled “water heater.”
Tankless: turn off the gas shutoff under the unit and unplug it from the wall outlet.
Step 3: Move stuff (5 minutes)
Anything porous on the floor near the heater — boxes, rugs, drywall stacks, shoes — move them at least 10 feet away. Water wicks fast, mold starts in 24 hours. If there's standing water near electrical outlets, stay back until power to that area is off at the breaker.
Step 4: Take photos and call
Photograph the tank, the surrounding floor, any visible leak source (top, bottom, fitting). Send them to us when you call — it tells us what to bring on the truck. Most leaks are at the cold-water fitting (easy fix), the pressure relief valve (medium fix), or the tank itself (replace).
Step 5: Don't try to drain it
A common piece of bad advice online: “drain the tank with a garden hose.” On older tanks, the drain valve often won't reseal — you turn a small leak into a drained 50-gallon tank in your basement. Just leave it. We'll handle drainage at the truck.
Then call us
Same-day service for leaks during business hours. After-hours emergency line is live for no-hot-water and active leak situations. Photos help us bring the right parts on the first trip — most leaks are repaired (or the tank is replaced) the same visit.
