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Areas We Serve

Why Is My Water Heater Dripping on Top?

water heater top leak

You walk into the utility room for something simple, and then you stop. The top of your water heater looks damp. Maybe you see tiny droplets forming, or you notice a small puddle nearby that wasn’t there yesterday.

That little drip can feel unsettling. Is it something small? Or is it the start of a much bigger problem? At 2 Sons Plumbing Federal Way, we’ve seen this scenario countless times, and we know how stressful it feels when one of your home’s most important appliances suddenly doesn’t seem trustworthy anymore.

Why Your Water Heater Might Leak from the Top

Seeing water on top of your water heater can be unsettling. A few of the most common reasons include:

Loose fittings – The places where pipes connect to the tank can shift over time. Even the tiniest loosened connection can let water drip steadily.
Worn valves – Valves that control water flow in and out of the tank sometimes get old or fail, and when that happens, a little water starts escaping.
Condensation – On certain days, your tank can “sweat,” leaving behind moisture that looks like a leak even when nothing’s actually broken.
Tank trouble – The one exception is if the tank itself is cracked or corroded. Sadly, that’s not something that can be patched.

What You Can Safely Try Yourself

If you’d like to take a quick look before calling a plumber, here are a few safe and simple steps you can try:

Turn off the power or gas to the heater so you know you’re working safely.
Shut off the cold water supply that feeds into the tank to stop more water from coming in.
Dry off the top with a towel and then watch closely to see where fresh drips show up.

When to Call for Professional Help

Leaks don’t get better on their own, and even small drips can lead to rust, water damage, or a complete failure. You should call a plumber if:

The drip keeps coming back after tightening fittings.
Water is collecting at the base of the heater.
The tank looks corroded, cracked, or rusted.

At 2 Sons Plumbing Federal Way, we know how to track down the source of the leak and give you clear answers about whether it’s a quick repair or if replacement is the safer choice.

What It Usually Costs

Most homeowners in Federal Way can expect:

Minor repairs for fittings or valves: $250–$500
New water heater installation: $1,800–$4,500 depending on the model and size

While replacement is more expensive, it’s often the right call if your water heater is old or the tank itself is leaking.

Get Peace of Mind with 2 Sons Plumbing Federal Way

Finding water on top of your water heater can be stressful. You start worrying about safety, damage, and whether you’ll be left without hot water when you need it most.

That’s where we come in. At 2 Sons Plumbing Federal Way, our licensed plumbers bring both skill and reassurance. Call us today at (206) 487-1757. With 2 Sons Plumbing Federal Way, you’ll get fast, expert service and the comfort of knowing your home—and your hot water—are in good hands.

2 Sons Plumbing, Electrical, Heating & Air

4.9

Based on 3514 reviews

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Johnnie Williams

06:40 15 Jan 26

I want to start by saying that Jeff and the rest of the plumbing team are absolutely great. They are very knowledgeable, professional, and clearly know what they’re doing. The quality of their work is solid, and I never felt like I was dealing with people who didn’t understand their craft.

That said, the pricing is extremely high. I completely understand paying for quality and expertise, but the cost made it hard to move forward with them for future work. If their prices were more reasonable, they would 100% be the company I would use every time.

So if budget is not a concern, you’ll likely be very happy with them. But for those of us who have to balance quality with affordability, the pricing is something to seriously consider.

Johnnie Williams

06:40 15 Jan 26

Deann Minamino

22:05 02 Jan 26

We have used 2 Sons Plumbing quite a few times now and have never been disappointed! Courteous, professional, knowledgeable and efficient describes everyone from the office to the field teams! One of their team members, while here installing a sink fixture, overheard an estimate we were getting from a visiting sales rep for a project. Their team member (Carey) offered that the estimate was way over priced (by over $20k). We had 2 Sons price it out for us and they came in $23k less. We have a couple planned projects upcoming and plan to use them for that as well as any unexpected issues that arise. Just this week, they dispatched a team on NYE as our water heater broke. Once again, good price, courteous, professional and efficient! I/we are so pleased to have found this company! We highly recommend them! (NOTE/FYI: I, the posting party, copied this from my Yelp Review)

Deann Minamino

22:05 02 Jan 26

Ashley Dunn

21:37 01 Jan 26

Justin and Bryce were swift and thorough when we experienced an emergency leak in our daylight basement. They quickly identified the problem as a leaking water heater, provided a quote, and completed the work within just a few hours. The job included draining the old water heater, removing and properly disposing of it, and supplying and installing a brand-new unit. We are incredibly grateful that they came out on New Year’s Eve and ensured we didn’t start 2026 without running water. They also offered a great recommendation for addressing separate water damage caused by another issue. Highly appreciated and highly recommended

Ashley Dunn

21:37 01 Jan 26

Benjamin Grossman

05:40 30 Dec 25

Huge props to Adam. We had been trying to replace our kitchen sink ourselves but ran into some issues, so we called for help. They were able to come out the very same day, which was a huge relief. We needed a new faucet installation, a separate hot water faucet, and water tank set up.

Adam was fantastic. He fixed our kitchen sink and even helped with a stubborn screw we could not get undone (I spent 4 hours myself before trying to get it out) , all with incredible patience and friendliness. He explained everything he was doing clearly, which made the whole process easy to understand and feel confident about. The new installation looks fantastic. Will definitely use them again.

Benjamin Grossman

05:40 30 Dec 25

Heejae Yang

02:27 30 Dec 25

Great service for people who hate money

This is a wonderful company to repair your plumbing issues, including storm drains and sewer lines—ONLY if you have the disposable income of a tech bro or sis. I don't.
I called because the storm drain receiving my downspout was clogged. It was adjacent to work they have done before. Without even coming to the site, a technician diagnosed a total failure over the phone. Their solution? Demolish the concrete, access and remove the P-trap, and redo the entire install for a "discounted" manager promo of $4,000.
I ended up fixing the issue in 5 minutes with a Shop-Vac. Total cost: $0.
I’ve used them for a sewer line repair before and now realize I likely funded their entire holiday party. Why fix a drain for free when you can pay $4,000 to have your walkway ripped up? This is the team for you if your budget is infinite and your patience for common sense is zero.

UPDATE: A real pro checks for a simple clog before recommending a sledgehammer. We all know they were looking for a payday.

Heejae Yang

02:27 30 Dec 25

Maggie McNish

00:43 30 Dec 25

Adam came to my house and gave excellent service and worked very efficiently. He was incredibly professional and personable and kind. He educated me on my plumbing situation so that I’m better equipped to prevent issues in the future and to preserve integrity of items and appliances I use and in a way easy for me to understand. I hope every experience for every customer with 2 Sons goes this way. Everyone I’ve had come to my house with 2 Sons has been great — competent, kind, professional, and transparent. Adam was terrific.

Maggie McNish

00:43 30 Dec 25

Matthew Horak

03:56 25 Dec 25

Justin and Bryce responded to a same day house call on December 9 when we found water seeping between the wall and floor of our garage laundry area. I cannot rate their service highly enough. They arrived around 5pm and stayed until after 8:30 to finish the job the same day. I waited to submit a review because other work we've had done was done to last a few days -- just enough time to get a good review. Justin and Bryce's work has definitely held up. It was unclear where the leak was coming from, but they spent a.long time investigating, including in the crawl space under the house, to find the right place in the wall to open up. They opened up only about 2 feet of wall and hit the leak exactly. They fixed it quickly and permanently. They are very professional and efficient. We are extremely happy and will definitely call 2 Sons first for any future needs. Thank you!

Matthew Horak

03:56 25 Dec 25

Melissah Watts

02:23 12 Dec 25

I had a wicked combo of 50 yr old bathtub faucets ( the hot water completely frozen in the “on” position) and a 13 year old hot water heater …. Yep, on Saturday … 2 Sons sent Carey out on Sunday and he advised me to wait until Monday when he could really solve my problem with high quality hardware and a new hot water heater! Carey came out Monday with Micah , beautiful copper pipes, a new hot water heater and a modern bathtub faucet. In 5 hours I had a new bathtub faucet and a new hot water heater. On top of really good craftsmanship , they respected and protected my existing tub/ toilet / sink. Thanks for a job well done!! M & M Watts

Melissah Watts

02:23 12 Dec 25

Anon

20:53 08 Dec 25

Have used 2 Sons multiple times to help with the plumbing in our house and every time has always been great. This time was no exception. Dave was amazing - very knowledgeable and reasonable in his suggestions and treatment of our plumbing issues. He was also very kind and was respectful of our house and space. Would definitely hire him again.

Anon

20:53 08 Dec 25

Marshall Harnish

21:22 05 Dec 25

2 Sons Plumbing did a fantastic job! I had a difficult water line replacement job, and they were friendly, quick and professional. The work turned out great. I had Dave as the project manager and he was honest and great to work with.

Would use them again for sure.

Marshall Harnish

21:22 05 Dec 25