Depending on the serial number/date of the heater, it may still be under the 5 year warranty.: I have a 5 year old house and an electric hot water heater that seems to be leaking a little. Enough to short out the wiring in the top of the tank. I turned the power off and cleaned up the wires and put on some new wire nuts and left them out of their little hole they were in. I found the little small leak was on the hot water side. It seems as if the piping or connection dimples into the tank itself (or at least it seems so). I am wondering should I replace or tighten the connection or replace the heater itself. Thanks, Rodney