Signs of a Gas Leak Near Your Water Heater
If you smell gas near your water heater right now, stop reading, leave the house, and call your gas provider before calling anyone else, us included. Once the area is confirmed safe, here is what typically causes it.
A Loose Fitting
Connections at the gas line can loosen slightly over years of vibration and temperature changes. This is usually the least serious cause and the easiest to fix, often just requiring the fitting to be re-sealed and tightened.
A Worn Valve Seal
The gas control valve itself has internal seals that degrade over time, particularly on older units. This requires professional replacement of the valve, not a simple tightening fix.
A Rotten Egg Smell Is Usually Not a Gas Leak
This is an important distinction. A rotten egg smell specifically in your hot water, not in the air around the unit, is typically bacteria reacting with the anode rod inside the tank. Natural gas has an added smell for safety, closer to sulfur, and it would be noticeable in the air near the unit, not just in your water.
What We Do When You Call
Once the area is confirmed safe by your gas provider, we test all connections and the valve itself for the source, repair or replace whatever is leaking, and confirm no gas is present before leaving.
Confirmed safe and need a repair? Call (877) 560-1148.