First, stop the water
Look for the shutoff valve on the cold water line that feeds the tank. Turn it off. That stops the tank from refilling while it leaks. If you can't find the valve, or it won't turn, shut off the main water to the house.
Then turn off the heat
An electric water heater gets switched off at its breaker in the electrical panel. On a gas water heater, turn the gas control on the unit to off. That keeps the heater from firing on a tank that's losing water. If you smell gas at any point, leave the house and make the call from outside.
Don't handle the water coming out of the tank with bare hands, because it can be hot enough to scald. Keep electrical cords and appliances away from standing water.
Protect what's around it
Move boxes, rugs and anything stored near the heater out of the water. Towels or a bucket at the drip slow the spread while you wait. If you can see where the water is coming from, take a photo of it.
Where the water is coming from matters
A drip from a pipe connection is a different repair from water coming out of the tank itself. Jordan inspects the unit to find out which one you have: a component or connection that can be repaired, or a tank that's done.
Then you get the options with a price on each: repair or replace, and if it's a replacement, tank or tankless. The recommendation is based on your house and how you use hot water, not on which option pays better. Platinum Pipe Solutions handles tank and tankless units, for repair, replacement and new installation.
If water is showing up on the floor away from the heater and the tank itself looks dry, it may not be the heater at all. The signs of a slab leak cover what else to check.
How soon it gets fixed, and what it costs
Call as soon as you see it. When Jordan can get there depends on what his day already looks like, so call and ask rather than assume either way. A leaking water heater is on the list of what counts as a plumbing emergency.
Service calls start at $75. A replacement is priced on the unit, the location and what has to change to fit it, and you get a written price before work starts. That price is the price. Payment is cash or check. Jordan Graham is a licensed C-36 plumbing contractor, #1145559, with 15+ years in the trade. For repairs, replacements and tankless installs, see water heater service from Platinum Pipe Solutions.