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My Water Heater Is Leaking at the Top—What’s Wrong?

You walk into the garage or basement and spot it—a little puddle of water near your water heater, or maybe you notice droplets forming around the top fittings. Your stomach drops. Is this a small fix, or am I looking at replacing the whole thing?

At 2 Sons Plumbing Seattle, we see this all the time, and here’s the good news: if the leak is coming from the top, it often means something small is out of place, not that your whole system has failed.

Why Water Heaters Leak at the Top

Top leaks are usually connected to fittings or valves that loosen over time. Most of the time, it’s not as scary as it looks.

Loose flex connectors – Those flexible pipes that bring water in and out can shift, corrode, or drip.
Leaky T&P valve joint – The temperature and pressure relief valve (a safety feature) can sometimes start leaking at the connection point

Both of these are repairable issues when caught early.

What You Can Do Right Away

If you feel comfortable, here are a few quick steps to take before calling us:

Shut off power or gas – Flip the breaker or turn off the gas line to stay safe.
Turn off the cold supply – This stops more water from entering the tank.
Blot the fittings dry – Use a paper towel to gently dry the top connections. If they start getting wet again, you’ve found your leak.

If the drip is just from a connector, the repair may be quick and inexpensive.

When It’s More Serious

Not all leaks are simple. If you notice water running down the tank itself, that usually means the tank has rusted through. Unfortunately, that can’t be patched—it means the water heater needs to be replaced.

Other red flags to watch for:

Water pooling faster than you can clean it up
Rusty or discolored water in your taps
Hissing, spraying, or steady streams from the top fittings

These are signs to stop troubleshooting and call in a plumber right away.

What Repairs Usually Cost in Seattle

Homeowners often ask what they’re in for cost-wise. Here’s a simple guide:

Small repairs (connectors or fittings): $250–$450
Full replacement: $1,800–$4,500, depending on the size and type of heater

It may feel like a big step to replace your water heater, but it can save you money in the long run with lower bills, better efficiency, and fewer surprises.

Get Help Before the Leak Grows

That little drip on top of your water heater might seem harmless now, but leaks have a way of growing fast. A small puddle today can turn into real damage tomorrow. Don’t wait until it becomes a bigger mess.

Call 2 Sons Plumbing Seattle at (206) 487-1757, and we’ll send a licensed plumber who treats your home like their own. If it’s just a loose fitting, we’ll tighten it and put your mind at ease. And if your water heater is showing its age, we’ll talk you through replacement options.

2 Sons Plumbing, Electrical, Heating & Air

4.9

Based on 3327 reviews

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Victor Garcia

20:12 23 Oct 25

Dave and David came and cleared out a huge clog in my kitchen sink (both sides) that has been plaguing us for a while as well a ton of glass shards that got into the drain when our glass fridge shelf broke. Dave walked us through each step of the process and explained everything which was excellent. He also gave us advice about galvanized piping replacement. They even gave us a few free parts for the sink drain that had eroded away and didn’t charge extra for it!! All around 5 star service!!!

Victor Garcia

20:12 23 Oct 25

Steve P

20:40 21 Oct 25

Fantastic service and communication. Local company. Solved my clogged basement laundry utility sink. Dave and David were courteous, informative, professional and easy to engage with. Scheduling was easy (they came the next day) and they arrived within the expected time window. Transparent pricing and i could also apply a coupon. I will use them again.

Steve P

20:40 21 Oct 25

Ashton Wylde

05:46 21 Oct 25

Great service and Dave their plumber is the best. We have an odd house with even odder plumbing. The pipes are a mess of grandfathered-in open air nonsense, when our pump started making some noises (and a little leaking) after some DIY heat tape adventures (getting ready for colder weather), we were worried that we would need a massive repair but Dave came and looked at it and immediately realized we had unplugged the float plug from the pump plug which was 90% of the problem and the leak just need a little tightening of a flex joint. The company was quick and didn't charge for an estimate or in this case a quick "thats not plugged in right". The experience and the overall professionalism has convinced me that when I do finally need that big repair job, I'll call these guys.

Ashton Wylde

05:46 21 Oct 25

Spencer Charles

05:07 20 Oct 25

Booking an appointment was extremely easy, and we were able to get one just the next day. Communication was excellent with timely reminders and a call before our appointment. Kerry did a fantastic job both advising us and effectively resolving our issue.

Spencer Charles

05:07 20 Oct 25

LuAnn Mitchell

02:38 14 Oct 25

I have all good things to say about 2 Sons Plumbing. My first experience was a few years ago and the whole process went very smoothly. Making the appointment was easy and quick, the repair was done with no problem and I thought the price was fair. Recently, Dave from 2 Sons came out to look at several plumbing problems I was having and, within a matter of minutes, all of the problems were diagnosed. Dave gave me options and estimates all before he left my house. I haven’t had the work done yet but appreciate the information and the prices seemed fair to me. Dave was on time, professional and very knowledgeable. 2 Sons are my go to Plumbers.

LuAnn Mitchell

02:38 14 Oct 25

Kayla Huitt

16:58 13 Oct 25

Bob at 2 Sons Plumbing was amazing! We had a horribly backed up kitchen sink drain and he was able to fix it, and save us some money in the process! He heard what we had to say about our issue and double checked everything. Super friendly and very helpful. Thank you for the amazing work Bob!

Kayla Huitt

16:58 13 Oct 25

Mingmin Zhu

00:31 11 Oct 25

I had great experience with Chase, Riley, Seth, Manu, Nolan with a recent fix. They showed up promptly, transparent about the price upfront, set the expectations right, very professional, got things done perfectly, great communication and very honest and patient to answer all my questions, I will definitely use 2 sons again and will recommend it to my friends and neighbors.

Mingmin Zhu

00:31 11 Oct 25

Arul Menezes

00:41 10 Oct 25

Stellar job by Carey and his team at 2sons today. I had a complex job -- installing a yard hydrant/faucet for a garden across the (private) street. They had to go into the floor of the garage, run piping under the floor, out of the house, across the road. Had to cut into the asphalt, trench down a couple feet, then patch it all up again, including fixing the garage concrete floor. Super job. Looks really clean. Got it all done in a day.

Arul Menezes

00:41 10 Oct 25

First Name

00:04 10 Oct 25

A wonderful experience every time with 2 Sons plumbing. Jake and Angelo helped us with our plumbing issue. They showed up on time and gave a very reasonable estimate for the repair. We ended up replacing a couple of toilets and a part of a sink drain. They came back the next day to complete the work due to our schedule. Excellent communication, prompt, and hard working! Thank you so much Jake and Angelo!! We are very happy with 2 Sons and have used them multiple times.

First Name

00:04 10 Oct 25

Erica G.

00:11 09 Oct 25

Brandon and Ethan were awesome. I had a basic plumbing issue that I was too scared to address myself. They were very non judgmental and provided excellent customer service. I totally recommend 2 Sons Plumbing.

Erica G.

00:11 09 Oct 25