Water Heater Leaking? What to Do Right Now in New Braunfels

Leaking right now? Three things before anything else

1. Shut off the water. Turn the cold-water supply valve on the pipe at the top of the heater clockwise until it stops.
2. Cut the power. Electric unit: switch off its breaker at the panel. Gas unit: turn the gas control knob on the front of the heater to OFF.
3. Then call or text (830) 243-5644. Answered 24/7, and you'll get a call right back.

Smell gas? Leave the house, don't flip any switches, and call 911 and then CenterPoint Energy's leak line at 888-876-5786 from outside.

In New Braunfels, a water heater leak usually traces back to the water itself. New Braunfels Utilities (NBU)'s 2019 water quality report (2018 data) put hardness at 8.1 to 19.5 grains per gallon, averaging 15.1, and NBU's newer reports publish no figure.

Minerals at that level crust drain valves, wear down anode rods and settle as sediment on the tank floor. That is as true for an older house near Landa Park, where the average home dates to 1959, or a historic home in Gruene, as for a new build off Loop 337 or FM 306. A puddle is often the first sign anyone notices.

What should I do first when my water heater is leaking?

When your water heater is leaking, first follow the three shutoff steps in the red box above, then find the source. Two details the box leaves out:

• Lever valves: a lever-style ball valve closes with a quarter turn; a round handle needs turning clockwise until it stops.
• The towel test: wipe the tank and fittings dry, then watch for a few minutes. Where fresh water appears first tells you whether it is a fitting or the tank.

If you smell gas at any point, skip the steps. Leave the house, then call 911 and the CenterPoint gas leak line (opens in a new tab) at 888-876-5786 from outside.

Where is my water heater leaking from?

A water heater leak comes from one of five spots, top to bottom. Leaks at the first four can usually be repaired; a leak from the tank body cannot.

• Top connections: the hot and cold fittings and flex connectors weep at the threads, and the water runs down the jacket.
• Relief valve: drips from the pipe on the side mean high pressure, high heat or a worn valve seat.
• Element gasket (electric): a wet access panel on the side, or a rust streak below one, means a heating element's gasket is seeping.
• Drain valve: the spigot near the floor loosens or cracks, and grit from sediment stops it sealing.
• Tank body: seepage from a seam or from under the base means the steel has rusted through. No patch holds on a pressurized tank.

Water from a top fitting often pools at the base and gets blamed on the tank. Dry everything, then watch: water that shows first at the top is a fitting, and water that wells up from underneath is the tank.

Is a leaking water heater an emergency?

A leaking water heater is an emergency when it sits above living space or the water comes from the tank itself. A slow drip on a garage floor makes a mess; the same drip in an attic or hallway closet soaks drywall, insulation and subfloor.

In Texas generally, homes built over the last few decades often put the water heater in the garage or attic, while older houses tend to have it in an interior closet. Treat any leak above living space as urgent.

• Tank leaks grow: once rust breaks through, every heating cycle widens the hole, and a damp ring can turn into a steady stream.
• Pressure never lets up: even with the supply closed, a 40- or 50-gallon tank can empty itself through a bottom leak.
• Pans need a working drain: the code requires a pan wherever a leak would cause damage (International Plumbing Code (IPC) 504.7 (opens in a new tab)), at least 1.5 inches deep with a drain of at least 0.75 inch. That line ends 6 to 24 inches above the ground outside or at a drain, and a pan with a clogged line simply overflows.

Can a leaking water heater be repaired?

A leaking water heater can be repaired when the leak comes from a fitting, the relief valve, the drain valve or an element gasket. When the tank itself is leaking, it cannot be repaired, and the job is a replacement.

A standard tank replacement typically runs about $1,000 to $3,400 installed, and the water heater replacement cost guide breaks that down by size. Either way, you'll get a price before any work starts, and emergency water heater repair is answered 24/7 when the leak will not wait for morning.

Leak-repair prices are rounded averages from national cost guides; here's how they're worked out.

Why is water dripping from the relief valve pipe?

The temperature and pressure relief valve opens when heat or pressure inside the tank climbs too high, and the pipe on its side carries that water down. An occasional drip points to high pressure or a worn valve; a steady flow needs attention today.

Under the 2021 International Plumbing Code, which New Braunfels adopted in 2023, that pipe drains by gravity with no valve and no threaded end, and it stops within 6 inches of the floor or pan (IPC 504.6). That is why its water lands where you can see it.

• Closed system: if the cold supply passes through a check valve, pressure-reducing valve or backflow preventer, the code requires an expansion tank (IPC 607.3). Without one, heated water has nowhere to expand.
• Tired expansion tank: these are typically replaced every 5 to 10 years. A waterlogged one stops absorbing pressure and the relief valve starts to weep.
• Thermostat set too high: the Consumer Product Safety Commission (opens in a new tab) urges 120°F. A hotter setting raises pressure and scald risk together.

Never cap or plug a dripping relief valve. It is the part that stops an overheated tank from failing violently.

Do I need a permit to replace a leaking water heater?

Replacing a leaking water heater in New Braunfels needs a City permit. The City's permits page (opens in a new tab) requires one to install, alter, repair or replace any plumbing system, and a water heater replacement falls under that rule.

• Who pulls it: normally the licensed plumber doing the job, through the City's online permit portal.
• Homeowners: Texas Occupations Code §1301.051 lets owners do plumbing in their own homestead, but the City permit still applies.
• Fee: the City does not publish a single figure, so ask for it as a line on the estimate.
• Questions: the City's Building Division answers at (830) 221-4041, option 1.

A replacement done to code also brings a new relief valve and discharge line, an expansion tank on a closed system, a pan wherever a leak would cause damage and correct venting on gas heaters. The permits guide covers the inspection.

What should I have ready when I call?

Four details about the leak make the first conversation quick and the price accurate. Note them while the tank drains or dries.

• Where the water shows first: top, side pipe, drain valve or base
• Gas or electric, and whether the fuel is now off
• The tank size and manufacture date from the label on its side
• Where the heater sits: garage, attic, closet or utility room

Tell us what's going on and you'll get a call right back, with a price before any work starts. Whoever does the work, ask for their Texas plumbing license number; master plumber numbers start with "M", and the state board runs a public search.

Last updated: October 2, 2026