Find the thermostat dial or gas control at the base of the tank. Switch it to the off position. If your heater is electric, flip the breaker to the water heater in your panel to the off position.
Locate the shut-off valve on the cold water line above or near the water heater. Turn it clockwise until it stops. This stops more water from filling the leaking tank.
Turn on a hot water tap anywhere in your home and leave it running. This bleeds air into the lines and helps the water drain out instead of pooling.
If water is pooling under the heater, slide towels or a rubber mat underneath to keep it from spreading to framing or flooring. Do not delay calling for a plumber.
Water heater tanks are lined with a glass or steel lining that protects the steel shell from rust. Over time, especially in older homes around Aptos, that lining can crack. Once water touches the bare steel inside, corrosion starts. A leak at the bottom means the rust has eaten through to the outside, and the tank is no longer sealed.
A plumber will inspect the tank for the source of the leak, check the pressure relief valve, and look at the drain pan underneath. If the leak is from a fitting or valve, it might be fixable. If it's from the tank itself, the tank has failed and needs to be replaced. Putting this off is a mistake: water will keep leaking, and a burst tank can flood your water heater closet, garage, or basement, damaging framing, electrical, and anything stored nearby.
In Aptos and the surrounding areas, water heaters tend to have shorter lifespans because of mineral content in the water and the salt air in coastal neighborhoods. A tank that is over ten years old and leaking from the bottom almost never has much life left. Replacing it now is cheaper than dealing with water damage later.
Describe what you're seeing to a real Aptos plumber: call (831) 555-0101 or send the form. Free, no obligation.