Do you need an emergency plumber for a leaking water tank?

Believe that your water tank is leaking? You may not need to panic – or even call out an emergency plumber. As with many issues around the home, it’s essential that you’re armed with knowledge and information about this piece of equipment – knowing what to do could end up saving you a packet.

First of all, you need to make a number of initial checks. One of the most important things to figure out is whether the water is leaking from the tank itself or an adjacent water pipe. Give the tank a thorough examination, but try not to touch or move things, as this could only make things worse. If in doubt, get on the phone to a plumber.

If you’re unsure whether there’s a leak, one thing you can do is to turn off your gas central heating for a few hours. Later on, check, if there’s still pooling water, or any water on the side of the tank.

In many cases, the cause of the leak is likely to be the temperature pressure relief valve (TPV), which is found at the top of the boiler. Tightening the TPV down could sort out the problem, although it’s important to make sure you don’t make it too tight. Once again, if you’re unsure of what you’re doing, getting a professional in.

In a small number of cases, it may even be that your tank isn’t leaking at all and the water you see dripping is condensation. This is usually caused by cold water entering the tank, especially in humid areas. At the other end of the scale, leaking water can also be a sign of corrosion, which will require the replacement of the entire tank.

With such high stakes, it’s important that you get things right first time. If you’re worried about paying for an expensive tradesman to come out, then getting plumbing insurance could be your best bet. With this type of cover in place, there’s no need to worry about whether a job is too big or small for a plumber – you’re able to call one out 24/7, without worrying about a big bill at the end.

Considering how many problems can beset your plumbing system, purchasing plumbing cover could turn out to be a sound investment that ends up saving you money – something we could all benefit from at the moment with the cost of living continuing to skyrocket.