Water heaters, washers and dishwashers

Appliance and Water Heater Leaks in Carrollton

Water around the base of a water heater, behind a dishwasher or under a washer hose: shut off the supply to that appliance, then call (678) 270-2458 and name the one that leaked.

Call (678) 270-2458

What you may be seeing

A puddle at the base of the water heater, or rust streaks running down the tank
A washer hose that bulges, feels wet or is stained at the connection
Soft or discolored flooring beside the dishwasher or refrigerator
A drip pan under the water heater, air handler or refrigerator that has filled
A water meter that keeps creeping with every tap closed

Technician shining a flashlight at the base of a leaking water heater

What the photo shows

A flashlight at the tank

A technician in green coveralls crouches beside a white water heater and shines a flashlight where water drips down to a damp floor. UGA's mold checklist suggests a drip pan under the water heater if one is missing, kept empty and clean.

Walk away and get help if

Water touching a gas water heater or furnace, or a gas odor in any room: leave and phone Atlanta Gas Light at 877-427-4321 from outside, or dial 911.
Water near an electric water heater's wiring, outlets or the panel: do not touch anything. Leave the room, and dial 911 for sparks.
Steam or hot water coming from the relief valve pipe: keep children and pets back.
A ceiling under the appliance that bulges or sags: keep everyone out of that room until it has been looked at, and dial 911 if it starts to drop.

Safe things to look at

These are looks and touches, nothing more. Stay with the ones that feel comfortable, and skip any that put you near water, wiring or a ladder.

Close the valve that feeds the appliance. If it cannot be found, close the main.
Run the city's meter test: with all water off, a digital meter showing a rate above zero, or an analog meter whose red triangle or sweep hand moves, means water is flowing somewhere.
Try the toilet dye test. Carrollton's page says to let food coloring sit in the tank for 6 hours without flushing.
Empty and wipe any drip pan, as UGA's checklist asks, and photograph it before moving it.

What often sits behind it

A temperature and pressure relief valve that drips. Carrollton's utilities page lists it among the hidden leak sources.
A washing machine supply line, one of the lines UGA's checklist asks owners to examine
A dishwasher connection leaking behind the toe kick
A refrigerator line or a drip pan that has been left to fill
A toilet fill or flush valve that runs quietly, another source on Carrollton's utilities page

When a drip becomes a flood

The pan under the tank is full every time it is checked.
The meter keeps moving after every tap and appliance is shut off.
The floor beside the appliance is soft or has changed color. UGA Extension lists leaks around the dishwasher, sinks, tubs, refrigerator and showers as ones to check.

Appliance habits that hide leaks

Leaving a drip pan to fill and never looking at it.
Skipping the twice-yearly service on heating and cooling equipment that UGA's checklist recommends.
Waiting for the next water bill to confirm a leak instead of reading the meter, which the city's utilities page walks through.
Tearing out a wet floor before it is photographed, though the state insurance commissioner's office wants pictures first.

Cold snaps and garage water heaters

Normal lows in Carrollton's 1991-2020 data are 31.6 °F in January, 34.5 in February and 34.2 in December.
The station counts 13.2 to 17.7 nights at or below 32 °F in each of those three months.
Texas AgriLife Extension lists garages among the places pipes freeze first, and garages are where many water heaters and washer lines sit.

Questions, answered briefly

How urgent is a leaking water heater?

Water at the base of a gas heater, or any spraying near wiring, scores an 8 to 10 on the checklist. A steady drip into a pan is a 4 to 7. Close the supply to the tank, then call (678) 270-2458 and say whether it is gas or electric.

How much can a small household leak waste?

On the EPA's WaterSense page, a typical home's leaks add up to over 9,300 gallons of lost water every year. The page's meter test: write down the reading, run no water for two hours, and check again. Any movement points to a leak.

Is a leaking water heater in Villa Rica covered?

The line takes appliance calls from water damage in Villa Rica and Whitesburg water damage as well as Carrollton. Have the make of the appliance, the room and the floor type ready, and call (678) 270-2458.

Replacing a water heater or line

Swapping a water heater or rerouting a supply line touches plumbing rules, and gas appliances touch gas rules. Anyone comparing crews can start from the questions on Before you hire.

The job next door

Burst Pipe Water Damage in Carrollton

Frozen, split and spraying lines

Where this came from (7)

Checked 1 Nov 2026