Why is my water heater leaking from the top?

I understand the confusion, since the leak is statistically from the bottom where most of the sediment corrodes through the bottom.

That or all the water flows toward the bottom.

If it has only a mild mist around it that forms beads that run down, I’d wonder if the water is actually condensation from the water intake pipes. The moisture in the air then condenses around the pipes and drips down.

While morning mist sounds cool, I do not want it on my hot water heater. And I do not think that’s what I have.

It is very common for hot water heaters to leak from valves like the drain valve.

That’s on the bottom of the hot water heater.

They also leak from the temperature pressure relief valve

Where is that?

Usually near the top of the hot water heater.

If it were leaking, I’d expect red warning lights on the hot water heater.

Expect red lights when it is overheating or over-pressure. If it is at normal pressure and temperature but simply bubbling out of the valve because it isn’t holding things in, you’ll get a leak at the top of the hot water heater.

If it is leaking out, does that mean the valve is broken?

A drain valve often leaks because people did not close it all the away shut after draining the unit, but it can leak because the valve is rusting or damaged.

If it is damaged, I have an altogether worse problem.

While sediment rarely gets into the top of a hot water heater, you could have calcium and hard water mineral deposits building up around it along with rust, eating away at the valve.

Technically, so does the whole hot water heater.

Whether that causes it to leak from inside the valve or around it remains to be seen.

I see the water but I cannot tell where it is leaking from.

Dry the whole thing off, give it good air flow, and then see whether the leak is from inside the valve or a pin-hole rust hole at the edge of the valve. If you’re lucky, a little no-weld seals it until a plumber can fix it.

Or replace the valve.

That might work, but it might require paying the work man to replace the whole tank.

There are jokes that you fixed the car by changing out the gas cap, AKA buying a whole new car but keeping the gas cap. If I get a whole new hot water heater, I’m not keeping a leaking valve.

Just make sure the water is not from the bathroom plumbing above before you replace the hot water heater components.

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