Garage tank leaking from the bottom
Water seeping from under the jacket of an older tank usually means the inner tank has corroded through. That cannot be repaired. Shut off the cold supply, turn off the heater, and plan for a replacement.
Tank and tankless water heaters in Fullerton
Water heater repair and replacement in Fullerton
Cold shower, a puddle under the tank, a burner that bangs like a pot lid. Tell us what you see. We'll help you work out whether it's a part or the whole heater before anyone picks up a wrench.
Preview site for Fullerton Water Heater Repair. The phone number is a temporary placeholder and the request form isn't connected yet, so a submission goes nowhere for now.
Before you call anyone
Leak, cold taps or a strange smell. Do these in order, then call.
If you smell gas, do not touch light switches, the thermostat or the pilot. Get everyone out and call 911 or SoCalGas from outside the home.
If the tank is leaking, close the cold-water supply valve on the pipe above the heater. If it will not turn or the leak is heavy, shut off the water at the main.
Turn the heater off: set a gas tank's control to Off or Pilot, or switch off the breaker for an electric tank or tankless unit.
Keep people and pets away from the relief-valve discharge pipe and any standing water near the tank. Discharge water can be scalding.
Note the brand, model number and manufacture date from the rating plate on the side of the unit. A plumber will ask for them.
A part, or the whole tank?
In Fullerton the usual setup is a gas tank in the garage or a hall closet. More houses now run a tankless unit on an outside wall. Both fail in a short list of ways: the flame or element quits, a valve drips, a fitting weeps, or the tank rusts through.
Our water speeds that up. The city blends local groundwater with imported supply, and the minerals settle on the floor of a tank and crust the inside of a tankless heat exchanger. That layer causes most of the popping and the lukewarm showers you notice first.
So we start with one question. Thermocouples, igniters, gas valves, elements and relief valves come off and new ones go on. A tank that leaks from its body can't be patched, and we'll tell you so plainly.
What the symptom usually means
General patterns, not a diagnosis. A failed part can usually be swapped. A leaking tank can't. We confirm the cause before you pay for either.
| Symptom | Common cause | Usually means | Do this now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas smell near the heater | Possible leak at the connector, valve or burner | Leave now | Get everyone out. Call 911 or SoCalGas from outside. Touch no switches. |
| Water seeping from under the jacket | Inner tank corroded through | Replace the heater | Close the cold supply or the main, turn the heater off, keep the area clear. |
| Drip or flow from the relief-valve pipe | Worn valve, or pressure or temperature running high | Often a repair | Never cap the pipe. Stand clear of hot discharge and have it checked. |
| Leak at top fittings or the drain valve | Supply connector, nipple or drain valve | Often a repair | Close the cold supply and catch the drip until we look at it. |
| Pilot won't stay lit | Thermocouple, dirty pilot assembly or gas valve | Often a repair | Follow the label to relight once. Stop if it goes out again or you smell gas. |
| Electric heater, no hot water | Tripped breaker, high-limit switch, element or thermostat | Often a repair | Check the breaker. Leave the access panels and wiring to us. |
| Popping or rumbling while heating | Hard-water sediment on the tank floor | Flush or plan ahead | Ask whether a flush makes sense for the tank's age. |
| Rusty hot water only | Spent anode rod, tank corrosion or old galvanized lines | Check first | Run a cold tap too. Rust in both points at the pipes. |
Signs it needs a look
One of these is enough reason to check. Water at the base or a smell of gas jumps the queue.
- Water pooling around the base of the tank, or a steady drip from the relief-valve discharge pipe
- No hot water at all, or hot water that runs out much faster than it used to
- Popping, rumbling or crackling from the tank while the burner runs
- Rusty or brown hot water, or a rotten-egg smell from the hot taps only
- The pilot light will not stay lit, or a tankless unit keeps showing an error code
- Rust, corrosion or scorch marks on the tank, the fittings or around the burner opening
- A smell of gas anywhere near the heater: leave first and call from outside
Guides, checklists and worked examples
Read up before you call, print a checklist for the garage, or see how a typical job goes.
Guides16
- No hot water: what to check before you call a plumber
- A leaking water heater: where the water comes from matters
- Repair or replace your water heater?
How we work on a water heater
The order stays the same on every heater: make it safe, find what failed, then repair or replace it to code. You see the price before we start.
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Make it safe
We check for gas, look at the vent and test the relief valve before anything gets relit or switched back on.
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Find the failure
We test the pilot assembly, igniter, gas valve, elements or thermostat, and trace any water to a fitting or to the tank body.
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Show you the choice
You get a plain explanation of what failed and a written price for the repair, plus one for a replacement when the tank is getting old.
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Repair or install
We swap the failed part, or drain and remove the old heater and set the new one with the right venting, gas connection and water lines.
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Strap it down
California requires water heaters to be braced or strapped against earthquakes. We check old straps and fit new ones on every replacement.
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Test and walk you through it
We check for leaks, confirm the vent draws, set the temperature and show you the gas and water shutoffs. If the city requires a permit, we cover that with you up front.
Four Fullerton situations, and what usually happens next
Pilot keeps going out
On a standing-pilot gas tank this is often a worn thermocouple or a dirty pilot assembly, both replaceable parts. If you smell gas at any point, stop and leave the house before calling.
Tankless unit losing flow or showing scale errors
Hard water leaves scale inside tankless heat exchangers. Many manufacturers call for periodic flushing, so check your unit's manual and ask a plumber about descaling before replacing parts.
Replacing an old tank in a 1960s tract home
Older slab-on-grade homes often have the heater in a garage or hall closet with original copper or galvanized lines. Replacement is a good time to check the straps, venting, gas connector and shutoff valves.
Fullerton houses, Fullerton water
Much of Fullerton was built out in the 1950s through the 1970s as slab-on-grade tract housing, with water heaters in the garage or an interior closet and supply lines of copper or galvanized steel. Those layouts shape how a heater is vented, strapped and connected, and older galvanized lines can shed rust that shows up in hot water.
Water comes from the city's own utility, a blend of local groundwater and imported supply that runs hard. Gas service is SoCalGas. Permit rules and inspection requirements for replacing a water heater are set by the city, so check with the City of Fullerton before work starts rather than relying on a general rule.
- Hard water: expect sediment in tanks and scale in tankless units, so flushing matters
- Seismic straps are required in California; check that yours are snug and intact
- Gas smell: leave the house and call 911 or SoCalGas from outside
- Check any contractor's license at cslb.ca.gov before work starts
- Ask the city whether your replacement needs a permit and inspection
ZIP codes served: 92832 (Fullerton), 92835 (Fullerton), 92831 (Fullerton), 92833 (Fullerton).
Also nearby: 92801, 90621, 92805, 90631, 92870, 92806, 90638, 92821, 92802, 92804, 90603, 90604, 90620, 92865, 91748, 90623, 92840, 90680.
Questions we hear about water heaters
- Can a leaking water heater tank be repaired?
- If the water is coming from the tank body itself, no. The inner tank has corroded through and the heater has to be replaced. Leaks at a fitting, the drain valve or the relief valve are often repairable, so it is worth finding exactly where the water is coming from.
- Why is my water heater making popping or rumbling noises?
- Usually sediment. Minerals from hard water settle on the bottom of the tank, and water trapped under that layer boils and pops as the burner heats it. Flushing can help on a tank that is still sound; heavy buildup on an older tank is often a sign it is near the end.
- What should I do if I smell gas near the water heater?
- Leave the house right away without operating switches, the thermostat or the pilot, and call 911 or SoCalGas from outside. Do not try to relight anything until the gas company or a qualified technician says it is safe.
- Does a water heater need earthquake straps in California?
- Yes. California requires water heaters to be braced, anchored or strapped to resist falling or moving in an earthquake. A plumber replacing a heater should strap the new one, and it is worth checking that older straps are still tight.
- Is a tankless water heater a good fit for a Fullerton home?
- It can be, but it is a different installation: tankless gas units often need different venting and a gas line that can supply more fuel, and hard water means they need periodic descaling. Ask a licensed plumber to look at your gas supply and venting before deciding.
- Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Fullerton?
- Permit and inspection requirements are set by the city. Check with the City of Fullerton or ask your plumber whether they pull the permit, rather than assuming it is or is not required.
- Why does my hot water smell like rotten eggs?
- When only the hot water smells, bacteria reacting with the tank's anode rod is a common cause. A plumber can check the anode and flush the tank. If you smell gas rather than sulfur in the water, treat it as a gas leak and leave.
Hot water out? Start at the shutoff.
Smell gas: get out and call 911 or SoCalGas from outside. Leaking tank: close the cold supply or the main and turn the heater off. Then ask any plumber you call, including us, for a CSLB license number and check it at cslb.ca.gov.
Call (714) 555-0105Preview site for Fullerton Water Heater Repair. The phone number shown is a temporary placeholder and the request form is not connected yet.
Tell us what the heater is doing
Gas or electric, tank or tankless, what you're seeing, and since when. Urgent? Call (714) 555-0105.