blue-green crystals forming at gas water heater junctions

[diane e]

Our heater is about 6 months old. We knew the inlet pipe had a tiny leak and have been watching it hoping impurities would fill it up. Instead a soft crystalline growth is forming at several places on the heater and downstream as well.

My husband, a competant handyman and mechanical engineer did the install and We would like help figuring this out. Could the heater sacrificial anode be malfunctioning? I believe all pipes in the house are copper or iron.

We are also experiencing a pressure drop in the hot water lines only.

[Eigenvector]

Hate to say this, but he can't be too competent if he allowed a small leak to continue hoping it will go away on it's own. Sometimes they do, but typically its only after the pipes experience accelerated rusting/corrosion.

You didn't describe the situation that well, what is the inlet pipe made of - iron or copper? What are your hot water pipes overall - iron or copper? Those two answers might help us better understand it.

[gfretwell]

If you are using copper pipe you should have dielectric couplings where it goes into and out of the steel water heater to avoid electrolysis. Also use a 4 ga copper wire jumper across these pipes to bond the diownstream piping.

[hallerb]

I have used 2 paRT EPOXY TO STOP MINOR LEAKS.

iTS REALLY BETTER TO TAKE IT APART AND START OVER the corrosion may be attacking the tanks connection area.

Dieelictric unions are a good idea.

If the lkeaks at the tanks connection and you dont fix it one day soon you will need another new tank:( Have that one pro installed its cheaper than buying another new tank:(