Homeowner guide
Appliance leaks: where they start and how to catch them
The appliances that cause the most water damage, the early signs, and a quick checklist.
Start here
Why appliances cause so much damage
Appliances connect to pressurized water lines and usually sit against walls or inside cabinets, where a slow leak can run for weeks before anyone sees it.
When a hose or fitting fails all at once, it can release a lot of water in a short time, often while nobody is home.
Appliance by appliance
Where leaks start
Washing machine
Supply hoses are the usual failure. Rubber hoses crack and bulge with age. Braided stainless steel hoses last longer, but they still fail. Check them for bulges, cracks and rust at the fittings, and replace them on the schedule the manufacturer recommends.
Water heater
Tanks rust through from the inside as they age. Watch for rust or water at the base, moisture around the fittings, and a relief valve that drips. In many Central Texas homes the water heater sits in the attic or garage, so a failure in the attic can come straight through a ceiling. A drain pan with a working drain line helps.
Dishwasher
Leaks usually come from the supply line, the drain hose or the door seal. Signs are often slow: flooring near the dishwasher that darkens, swells or feels soft.
Refrigerator
The water line to the ice maker and dispenser is often thin plastic tubing that cracks or gets pinched when the fridge is moved. Check behind it once in a while.
Air conditioning
In Austin the AC runs most of the year, and the condensate line that drains it can clog. When it does, the drain pan overflows, often in the attic, and the first sign is a stain on the ceiling below.
Prevention
A ten-minute checklist
- Know where your main water shutoff is, and the shutoff valve for each appliance.
- Check washer, dishwasher and fridge lines for cracks, bulges and rust.
- Look at the base of the water heater and inside its drain pan.
- Look for stains or soft spots on ceilings under the attic AC unit and water heater.
- Look at flooring next to appliances for darkening, swelling or soft spots.
- Consider water leak sensors near the water heater, washer and under sinks.
- Shut off the water to the washing machine when you travel.
If it has already leaked
What to do
Shut off the appliance’s water valve or the main supply, take photos before you clean up, and read what to do in the first hour. Even when the floor looks dry, water may still be under it and inside the cabinet or wall behind the appliance.
We measure where the moisture went, dry it properly and rebuild cabinets, flooring and finishes. See how that works on our water damage restoration page.
Call (512) 838-4236, someone answers, day or night.