Why is there water on the floor around my new water heater?
Water on the floor around a new water heater can be caused by condensation, loose plumbing connections, or a leaking tank. Determining the source prevents unnecessary panic over a potential tank failure and helps you address simple connection fixes quickly.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- People have been saying this in most months since September 2026.
- This comes up 15.8× more often in r/Plumbing than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Checking for an expansion tankDid this help you?
- 2Inspecting surrounding pipes and the top of the heatersDid this help you?
- 3Checking the data plates on the water heatersDid this help you?
- 4Wiping away the discharge, draining puddles, clearing rocky buildup around drain covers, and inspecting pipes or lines for leaks.Did this help you?
- 5Replacing the anode rod on an annual scheduleDid this help you?
- 6having someone inspect and replace the venting liner and inducerDid this help you?
- 7checking the chimney cap outsideDid this help you?
- 8Checking or replacing the float valveDid this help you?
- 9Inspecting the pressure relief valveDid this help you?
- 10Performing a smoke test with a match or piece of paper near the draft hood openingDid this help you?
- 11Installing a carbon monoxide alarm nearby to monitor safetyDid this help you?
- 12replacing the gasket or o-ring inside the fittingDid this help you?
- 13verifying the drip is not just condensation from a cold pipeDid this help you?
- 14hiring a professional plumber recommended by the manufacturerDid this help you?
- 15Placing a water detector next to the tank and waiting to see if more water accumulates.Did this help you?
- 16Researching online to determine if a leak means the tank is permanently ruined.Did this help you?
- 17Asking for advice on plumbing forums to confirm the issue before paying a home warranty service fee.Did this help you?
- 18Using a painting pan and detachable rubber shower hose system to capture the leaking water and keep it from flooding.Did this help you?
- 19turning the unit off and isolating the water supplyDid this help you?
- 20hiring a professional technician to diagnose and replace the faulty valve or tankDid this help you?
- 21exercising the pressure relief valveDid this help you?
- 22set it to low temp and refraining from overusing hot waterDid this help you?
- 23Have a small container as a drip trayDid this help you?
- 24Govee sensor in case it gets worseDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Hot water heater has been dripping a bit through this PVC. Probably about a teaspoon of water every couple of hours.”source ↗
“Good day, my solar water heater has an overflow mechanism that seems to be getting worse. The red tubing leading away is being used to channel the overflow. Losing several gallons per hour.”source ↗
“Hot water heater seems to vent all the exhaust gas into the maintenance room when running. Is it normal to have this gap in the vent, or is the vent clogged?”source ↗
“My Rheem tankless water heater just started dripping and I assume it’s coming from this corroded part where the cold water goes into the tank.”source ↗
“I’m a pretty handy person and usually try to fix things myself, but is this something I could tackle myself or is this something I need to call a plumber for?”source ↗
“That white pipe was dripping water out of the opening at the bottom.”source ↗
“I see water on the floor. Is that what you’re asking about?”source ↗
“Yes, the water on the floor.”source ↗
“What is this and what should I do about it?”source ↗
“My previous Richmond I put in 4 years ago and was going to replace the anode on its anniversary in December. Well, that was too long. Anode completely down to the middle portion and tank started leaking.”source ↗
“So, I have had the tubes off it before, and the tank doesn't appear to be serviceable.”source ↗
“For the past few months, I have had a near constant drip coming from this line.”source ↗
“Yesterday I noticed some water under my water heater.”source ↗
“Tonight I checked it again and there's still some water around it. It's this normal?”source ↗
“I'm trying to figure out this so I can call my home warranty but I don't want them to come over and say it's normal, because I'd still have to pay for the service request.”source ↗
“our hot water heaters have constant leaking from the T&P valves.”source ↗
“The leaking is an intermittent dripping that is worse in the colder months.”source ↗
“We’ve been battling with this issues since we moved into our house over 10 years ago and I’m getting real tired of it.”source ↗
“Went to power up the furnace and when I turn the switch on it sounds like this”source ↗