Is this water heater wrong?

[hal1]

I didn't see a plumbing forum.

How wrong is this water heater? White powdery cakey stuff - brushed right off?

And this small hole at the top that seem to leak stain stuff out of it

 

[Mick56]

Looks like a pinhole has rusted through. The white powder is the minerals in the water when it evaporates, and it also plugs the hole off and on. Eventually, it will get worse, and start spraying out.

 

[roc_on_the_rocks]

I've always assumed that there's a layer of insulation under that top cap. Is that already the outer skin of the tank??

 

[nadogail]

How old is the water heater?
If is near the end of it's projected useful life, start shopping for a new water heater.

I am not a plumber and any advice you get from me is guaranteed to be worth exactly what I received from you in payment.

 

[hal1]

4 years old with the new house, I'll call AO Smith as it has a 6 year warranty

 

[ford33]

Odd that is leaking from the top then water is flowing down and around the top sheet and down the side of the water heater.

Is there something leaking from the ceiling of the room onto the top of the water heater?

 

[steve308]

Well Water?

 

[JRC3]

My first guess is a very slow leak at the tank and a dielectric ******. Second would be a slow leak caused by a defect in where the flue/heater exchange is welded to and at the top of the tank.

Assuming nothing is leaking from above down on to the top of the tank.

 

[JRC3]

In fact, if you zoom in on the cold ****** you can see deposit between it and the blue plastic grommet. Were those preinstalled at the factory?

 

[hal1]

Odd that is leaking from the top then water is flowing down and around the top sheet and down the side of the water heater.

Is there something leaking from the ceiling of the room onto the top of the water heater?

No leak, def from a 3/16 hole

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I haven't seen one fail there before...but I bet AO Smith has seen about everything. Great thing that it is still under warranty. You should probably start that process to see if they'll pony up a new water heater.

 

[Thunderpigeon]

It looks like the temperature and pressure relief valve is missing unless it just is not shown in the photo.

 

[JRC3]

It looks like the temperature and pressure relief valve is missing unless it just is not shown in the photo.

Top of tank behind the flue.

OP, was it installed there from the factory?

 

[ford33]

Time to call AO Smith and start a warranty claim.

A water heater should last longer than 4 years. Let us know what the manufacturer says.

 

[Showkey]

Looks like a leak.........

But someone moved the pressure relief to the anode hole. Bet that’s where the leak is at the threads. The leak filled the top of the tank with a slow leak.

Anode on the top.............
TP valve on the side .........

 

[jetrep]

Or maybe no anode? That would help explain the short life of the tank.

 

[rlitman]

Looks like a leak.........

But someone moved the pressure relief to the anode hole. Bet that’s where the leak is at the threads. The leak filled the top of the tank with a slow leak.

Anode on the top.............
TP valve on the side .........

It too looks to me like someone put the T&P valve where the anode goes, rather than on the side. That's not proof that there's no anode, but I'd be worried, because no anode will certainly lead to rapid failure that is not covered by a warranty.

To be fair, I've seen anodes in the outlet (hanging like a dip tube), as well as anode ports hidden under the top cover.

Regardless, if water is welling up from that hole on the lid, your heater needs replacement NOW. Do not put this off!

 

[hal1]

Top of tank behind the flue.

OP, was it installed there from the factory?

Came with the new house, new builder subdivision

 

[JRC3]

Or maybe no anode? ...

That has become standard practice.

 

[rlitman]

That has become standard practice.

It is standard for a builder to void a product's warranty? It should be criminal.

 

[JRC3]

It is standard for a builder to void a product's warranty? It should be criminal.

No, I'm talking about the water heater manufactures themselves. It has become standard for water heaters to have no anode. Most don't even have a port for an anode and others just have a plug in the port, probably on the lesser warrantied units.

 

[rlitman]

No, I'm talking about the water heater manufactures themselves. It has become standard for water heaters to have no anode. Most don't even have a port for an anode and others just have a plug in the port, probably on the lesser warrantied units.

Not on a gas heater.

There are electric models that are plastic lined that don’t need an anode. And many gas heaters hide the anode under the cover, but it is still there.

 

[Notgrownup]

Let us know what the MFG says.

 

[Showkey]

Still say the guy that moved the TP valve caused this issue.
Hopefully the manufacturer does not bounce the warranty claim as an installer issue.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

That has become standard practice.

Sadly "Sub Standard" is becoming the "New Standard" of workmanship.

 

[flat350]

Those AO smiths have a side discharge T+P valve,somebody removed the anode rod and plugged in the T+P valve in it's place,see if there's a pipe plug screwed in to the tank on the side in pic #2.

 

[stokefire7]

2nd pic shows where the T & P normally is mounted.

 

[manwithtools]

Seems like we've had this debate about top vs side mounted T&P valves before. Plenty of models have them in the top and IIRC, some manufactures show either location as correct depending on the model.

 

[The Cobbler]

WHy would an installer go to the trouble of removing the anode? what is there to gain?

 

[firedudetl1]

had an AO Smith water heater that failed w/2 months left on warranty - contacted local plumbing supply house that handled AO Smith - just told them it was leaking, nothing more - from their instructions, I took the label off the front, went to the supply house w/ a contractor friend and got an new water heater w/a new 6 yr warranty - you need someone with contractor/plumber credentials to have them document it's going to a professional to be installed, not the home owner
only had to pay taxes and handling fee - water heater that failed was discontinued so I got the newest model that replaced it w/a new warrantee - they want to keep the customer happy
good luck

 

[Showkey]

The debate of the location is NOT the issue. They can be mount in a top location. This one was obviously a side mount from the factory. Slight debate on anode, some water demands an anode, some warranties will voided without an anode.

The TP was moved from the side and now it was likely the location of the leak.

As far as warranty not sure how AO Smith handles it. I did a warranty on a Richmond from Menards ....It had a pin hole leak at the top fitting that was hard to find and it was their fitting. The fitting was their check valve. DIY install, called, explained the issue, they gave me a return authorization, took it to Menards, they gave a new unit. No compensation for install labor, I was happy.