If you smell gas, leave first
A rotten-egg odor, hissing sound, or suspected gas leak is an emergency. Leave the building and move away from the area. Do not use a phone, switch, appliance, or open flame near the suspected leak. Call your gas utility or 911 once you are in a safe place. Illinois emergency guidance gives the same advice: do not try to locate the leak yourself.
Keep away from wet electrical parts
If water is close to the heater’s wiring, controls, breaker, or nearby outlets, do not touch the appliance or electrical equipment. Keep other people away from the wet area. Do not remove access covers or try to switch off a wet panel.
If there is no gas odor or electrical hazard, look only from a dry, safe spot. Is water actively flowing, or is there a small damp area? Where do you first see it? Water can travel down a pipe or the outside of a tank before reaching the floor, so the puddle’s location may not be the source.
What you can note safely
From a safe distance, note whether the unit is a tank or tankless model, whether the leak is steady or occasional, and whether water appears near a pipe, valve, or discharge tube. A photo can help explain what you see, but do not move the heater, open it, or touch a wet fitting to get a closer image.
HeaterFixer does not diagnose or repair water heaters. A call through this site may connect you with an independent plumbing company. The company you speak with can discuss whether it handles the issue, its availability, and its price.
When the leak is spreading
If water is spreading or you cannot keep the area safe, call for professional help promptly. Do not attempt to repair a gas, electrical, or pressurized component yourself. For a water heater that has been flooded or submerged, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and have it evaluated before using it again.