Water heater leak repair in San Antonio, TX homes and rentals, from King William and Dignowity Hill out to Alamo Heights and Leon Valley. Hard SAWS water is rough on drain valves and tank bottoms, so we check those first, repair the leaking part, and replace the heater only when its tank has failed. Calls answered 24/7.
Water heater leak repairs for San Antonio, TX homes and rentals across Bexar County start at the source. Most San Antonio leaks start at a scaled drain valve, a dripping relief valve, a fitting on top or a corroded tank shell. A part swap costs far less than a new heater, so pinning down the source decides the bill.
The tank's base and its drain valve
SAWS puts typical hardness in San Antonio, TX somewhere between 15 and 20 grains for each gallon. Those minerals drop out as scale across the base of the tank, the steel under that layer runs hotter and corrodes faster, and the drain valve crusts over until it no longer seals.
The cold shut-off and the nipples above the heater
By the Census Bureau's count, the median San Antonio home was built in 1985. Many of those houses have had the heater itself replaced since, yet the cold shut-off and the short nipples above it can be the ones the builder installed, and corroded joints like those weep.
Exposed pipes in garages and outside closets
NOAA's climate normals give San Antonio International Airport 14.0 freezing nights in an average year. Most winters bring only a few hard freezes, so supply lines in garages and outside closets are often left bare, and a split line feeding the heater usually starts dripping once it thaws.
Where you find the water tells us which part to test first. Our statewide leak repair page walks through each step of a visit.
We wipe the base dry, then see where fresh water reappears. A scaled drain valve that drips at its spout gets replaced. Water seeping out below the insulated jacket means the tank shell has corroded through, and no repair holds on that.
A wet tip on that pipe means the valve has been opening. We put a gauge on a hose bib to read your house pressure and check the expansion tank before we change the valve. We never cap or plug a relief valve.
White crust on a joint and water running down the jacket usually point to a nipple, a dielectric union or the shut-off valve. We replace the failed joint, then check that nothing is leaking inside the jacket.
When the steel itself is leaking, we drain and disconnect the old heater and fit a replacement matched to the home's fuel and hot water use, either a storage tank or a tankless unit.
Minerals in the water decide which part wears out first, and that part sets most of the price. Our guide lists typical leak repair costs for each one.
| Part | What the minerals do | What we check on a leak call |
|---|---|---|
| Tank floor | A layer of scale and sediment builds up and the steel under it corrodes faster | Rust-colored hot water, a rumble while heating, seepage at the base |
| Drain valve | Scale grips the seat, so the valve may drip after it has been opened once | Drips at the spout and whether the valve closes fully |
| Relief valve | Mineral crust can keep the valve from reseating after it opens | Crust at the outlet, house pressure and the expansion tank |
| Tankless heat exchanger | Scale builds up inside the narrow passages | Drips inside the cabinet and at the water connections |
San Antonio lets a licensed contractor replace a failed heater first and file for the permit afterward. The state rules on who may do the work apply here too.
The City of San Antonio Development Services Department lists replacing an existing water heater under its Limited Service and Repair permit in Information Bulletin 121c. A licensed plumbing contractor may do the swap before the permit is issued, then certify that it meets the San Antonio code, so a leaking tank does not have to wait on paperwork.
Texas Occupations Code section 1301.053 keeps water heater work under the state plumbing license law. The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners says Master Plumber numbers start with M, and looking a number up on its website confirms the license is valid with a certificate of insurance on file.
Section 1301.051 lets you do plumbing in your own homestead without a license. The same board advises checking with the city plumbing inspection office about a permit and inspection, so call Development Services before you start.
Tell us your city, whether the heater is gas, electric or tankless, and where the water is showing.
Call (512) 325-0362These four steps slow or stop the water while you wait for us.
Turn the handle on the cold pipe above the heater clockwise until it stops, so no new water enters the tank.
Turn a gas heater's control knob to OFF. On an electric heater, switch its breaker off. If you smell gas, get everyone outside and call the gas utility first.
Move boxes and tools off the slab and push the water toward the garage door with a broom.
Take pictures of the label, the pan and wherever the drip starts, and have them ready when you call.
We answer for every San Antonio, TX neighborhood and the small cities around it in Greater San Antonio. Our list of other Texas cities shows the rest of the state.
Nearby cities with their own page
Austin Water reports an average hardness near 5.4 grains per gallon, roughly a third of the SAWS figure, so sediment builds more slowly there. See our page on water heater leak repair in Austin.
In Houston, TX, a replacement permit has to be pulled by a master plumber registered with the city, a different route from San Antonio's. See our page on Houston leak repair.
NOAA's normals give the Conroe, TX airport 27.0 freezing nights, close to twice the San Antonio count, so exposed heater lines there need more protection. See our page on a leaking heater near Conroe.
These are the questions San Antonio owners and landlords raise when a heater starts dripping.
Usually, yes. A slow drip into the pan can wait for a daytime visit if the cold water valve is shut and you check the pan every few hours. Water seeping from the tank's base cannot wait.
Yes, regular draining helps with water this hard. On a tank that has never been drained, though, the crusted drain valve may not reseal, so we often replace that valve during the first flush.
Only at the start. We cut power at the panel before touching anything, then check the element gaskets on the side of the tank along with the usual valves and fittings.
Yes. Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, Terrell Hills, Castle Hills, Balcones Heights and Leon Valley are separate cities, so ask that city's inspection office whether a replacement needs a permit.
Tell us which part of the heater is wet and what fuel it uses, and we will walk you through shutting it down. We pick up 24/7, nights and weekends included.
Call (512) 325-0362