Hot water leaking from the cold inlet!

DIY Message Boards

This topic can be found at:
http://boards.diynetwork.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2791013504/m/4543999667

Jan 19, 2013, 11:17 PM

ArlenB

Hot water leaking from the cold inlet!

I hope someone can help me solve this problem. Out of nowhere, warm water started leaking out from the cold water inlet, between the shutoff valve and the water heater. Now, the cold water inlet is warm, and the hot water outlet is cold. It seems like, the flow of water has been reversed inside the water heater. I can't think why would this happen all of a sudden, so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Arlen

Jan 20, 2013, 09:08 AM

Sparky617

The fact that the water is warm is immaterial to your problem. The water is warm because it is close to the water heater itself. You have a leak and it needs repaired. How old is the water heater? This could be a sign on its impending failure if it is more than 8 years old.

What kind of pipes do you have in the house? How old is the plumbing?

General Disclaimer

Any advice given here is general in nature and is not necessarily valid for your given area. If in doubt check with your local codes enforcement department for what is required when doing electrical, plumbing or structural work on your house. Permits may or may not be required in your area and home owners may not be able to DIY some tasks. I have no way of knowing if you have the skills needed to complete the tasks you are asking about, when in doubt seek professional assistance.

My advice may be worth exactly what you pay me for it. :-) For the record I did not stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Jan 20, 2013, 12:35 PM

ArlenB

If that's the case, where is the leak? Inside the water heater? Why is the warm water outlet pipe feel cold then?

It's a condo, in a large building. Built in the 70's. Just purchased the property in July so don't know how old the water heater is. Pipes are most probably copper. I don't know how I'd check that.

Jan 20, 2013, 02:15 PM

Sparky617

Hard to say where the leak is from here, since I can't see the water heater from my PC. The leak could be the threaded junction between the plumbing and the tank. It could be the tank, it could be any number of things.

Are you getting hot water from the water heater? As to the age, there is usually a date stamp on the plate with the serial number. I think it is fairly safe to say that it has been replace several times since the building was built in the 1970's.