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Areas We Serve

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 3427 reviews

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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

Mark Ondrake

23:58 04 Dec 25

The 2 Sons company was prompt, thorough, clean, and performed precise, high-quality work. The office staff and plumbing technician showed professionalism and a focus on details. The finished repair exceeded our expectations, the price was very reasonable (high value for the quoted price), and the technician left the Job site spotless. See attached photo, they used the Big Bertha Motorized Snake to clear a clogged drain, the obstruction was 25 feet away!!

Mark Ondrake

23:58 04 Dec 25

Laura Mueser

23:11 03 Dec 25

Great service over a holiday weekend. Total failure of our sewer line was fixed with a ten year warranty. Clean, great communication, full fix. It cost a lot -- I mean, it was a major repair in a hundred year old house-- but was reasonable for what we received, and the pricing was very transparent. Seth, Jorge, Shane, Dan, and others were all perfectionists and appreciated.

Laura Mueser

23:11 03 Dec 25

Beth

00:02 27 Nov 25

2 Sons Plumbing is a top notch company. Recently I had a water line hooked up for a new refrigerator and Justin and Bryce were my technicians. They were so competent, careful, and efficient and I really appreciated their professionalism. Justin even showed me how to use the displays on the new fridge. They made sure every thing was clean, the lines flushed and working before they left the house. Their pricing is extremely reasonable also, I got two quotes for installing the waterline and 2 Sons was the most reasonable. Last year I had a clogged kitchen drain during the Christmas holiday's and 2 Sons Plumbing was the only company that would come out right away and not charge a high holiday rate. I highly recommend 2 Sons Plumbing for any plumbing needs.

Beth

00:02 27 Nov 25

Russell Callender

18:28 23 Nov 25

This is the second time I used 2 Sons Plumbing. This project was to install a toilet. Like the first time, the toilet installation went flawlessly. The support from Autumn and the other folks in the front office made scheduling easy and they were able to reschedule it to meet some changing circumstances on my end. I requested Brandon to do the work as he performed my previous job. He also recommended a high quality toilet that worked in my situation. I was called and texted to let me know he was coming. He was fantastic and explained how he was going to do the work and showed me the conditions of my existing connections. He got it done very quickly and efficiently and did not leave any mess. I’m super impressed with how this company operates.

Russell Callender

18:28 23 Nov 25

Maria Kute

23:01 18 Nov 25

Thank you, Bob, for your professional, courteous, and kind service! My downstairs tub was running with high pressure due to some worn out stems. Bob was thorough—but unfortunately our fixtures are quite old, and he didn’t have appropriate replacements available the first day. However, they were able to find the appropriate stems for our tub and fixed the leak right away day 2. I cannot speak highly enough about how grateful I am for the way 2 Sons accommodated my schedule when they needed to return with the appropriate fixtures. The technician was a genuine joy to work with—and I appreciate the quick follow up and turn around. I also appreciate the way Bob walked me through the process and double checked for leaks.

Maria Kute

23:01 18 Nov 25

Evan Rose

16:17 18 Nov 25

We had a great experience. Brandon and Chris were very polite and professional. We had a massive leak under a toilet and they came and fixed it on a Saturday. They were very timely and hardworking. Ethan was another who was also very polite and professional. Pricing was also very manageable for the extent of the problem we had. I would highly recommend.

Evan Rose

16:17 18 Nov 25

YuliyaG

22:06 14 Nov 25

I had a great experience with 2Sons Plumbing. Communication was on point from start to finish. Dave arrived on time, was very friendly, and knowledgeable. He also gave me a helpful heads-up about our heater and offered great advice. I really appreciate the professionalism and will definitely use them again!

YuliyaG

22:06 14 Nov 25

Brandy Przybylak

19:28 05 Nov 25

We really enjoyed our experience with 2 Sons. We had an emergency that had water all over our kitchen and basement. They were able to send someone out later in the evening for us after several other companies either cancelled on us or said they couldn't come until the next day. Our technician/plumber Riley was great to work with - friendly, quick, and effective! They even gave us a call back a few days later to check in on our experience and to answer some extra questions we had. Highly recommend!

Brandy Przybylak

19:28 05 Nov 25

Carol Wong

19:21 04 Nov 25

I have not decided to go with 2 Sons for the plumbing issues I have yet. However, I am very impressed by the technician, Guy, who came for the appointment. He was professional, friendly, knowledgeable, courteous, and thorough. I told him that I was just getting a quote and not ready to commit to do the repair right away. He was very understanding. I have a clogged kitchen sink, disconnected washer hose causing water damage, and likely a disconnected pipe behind the wall. He explained the steps I need to take before he can help for all three issues. Like I should hire the restoration company to repair the water damage before reconnecting the pipes. He also helped to take pictures and referred me to a restoration company for the jobs outside of his scope. Before he left, he measured the water pressure to make sure the pressure is within a normal range. Just to make sure the water is not putting too much pressure on the fixtures resulting leaks. It was definitely a surprisingly pleasant and thorough experience with Guy.

Carol Wong

19:21 04 Nov 25