Why the Two Problems Often Go Together
A water heater that is leaking and has stopped producing hot water at the same time is usually telling a single story. The most common explanation: a leak has dropped the water level or extinguished the gas burner, so the unit can no longer heat. Or a leak around the burner and controls has shut the system down as a safety response.
In other cases the leak is severe enough that the tank cannot stay full, so there is simply not enough water to heat. Whatever the path, the combination points to a unit that needs prompt attention — this is rarely a wait-and-see situation. The good news is that the symptoms together often help a technician pinpoint the fault faster.
Common Causes of the Combination
The pilot or burner has gone out. On a gas tank, water reaching the burner area or pilot can extinguish the flame, and a safety device may then block reignition. No flame means no hot water, and the leak that put it out is still there.
The tank has failed and lost water. A perforated tank loses water faster than it can be heated and held, so you run cold while it leaks.
A failed component shut the system down. Water intrusion can trip the gas control or, on an electric unit, the elements and high-limit cutoff, stopping heating entirely.
The unit is simply at end of life. An old tank that springs a leak and quits heating in the same week is usually telling you it is done — both symptoms stem from the same advanced corrosion.
What to Do Right Now
Make the unit safe first. If you can see active leaking, shut off the cold water supply valve on top of the tank by turning it clockwise, and set the gas control to off or pilot (or switch off the breaker on an electric unit). This stops the leak from worsening and prevents the heater from trying to fire against a failing tank.
Do not attempt to relight a gas burner that is standing in or near water — if water put it out, the underlying problem is still present, and relighting can be unsafe. If you ever smell gas, leave the home and call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 or 911 before anything else.
Then mop up standing water to protect your floors and call for service. Trying to nurse hot water out of a leaking tank usually just delays the inevitable and risks water damage.
Repair, Replace, and Getting Hot Water Back
Whether this is a repair or a replacement depends on the source of the leak. If a fixable component failed and the tank shell is sound, a repair can restore both heat and a dry floor. If the tank itself has rusted through, replacement is the only safe answer — and it will also solve the no-hot-water problem for good.
Because you are without hot water, this is worth treating as time-sensitive, especially for a household with kids or anyone who relies on hot water for care. Tank and tankless water heaters are serviced by our parent company CanroHeat, and our boiler-side team handles no-hot-water calls across Greater Vancouver too. For a fast diagnosis and an exact quote, call 604-359-1081.