Electric Kettle Leaking Sometimes

[Boris_yo]

Hello,

Have been using electric kettle for around 8 years.
It recently started leaking but not every time.
It has 4 at the bottom of its heating element where water drips from.

What are they for exactly?
I wouldn't mind fixing it.
Can't stand throwing stuff that still can be fixed.

Thanks

[Siwastaja]

Obviously the holes are exactly to drain water that leaks so that it doesn't slowly fill the part where the electrical connections are.

Glue the holes shut and you have even bigger safety hazard than you already do.

You need to find the leak from the inside.

[Boris_yo]

Do you think leaks can get inside kettle's charging base and get in contact with electric components?

[wraper]

Kettles usually leak because limescale grows around the heating disc and under the rubber seal. Until it grows to th bottom of the seal and water starts to leak. If you clean it, kettle will work some time longer.

[Halcyon]

8 years? That's pretty good mileage. Might be time for a new one?

[Gyro]

Are you sure it isn't condensate from the bimetal boil cutoff switch... although after 8 years, I guess you'd know.

[Nusa]

The one I have, if you fill it above the max fill line printed on it, it'll leak down the inside of the handle and into the base and onto the counter when it gets to boiling. That's actually user error, of course. After a bit of thought, I realized it's safer to have scalding overflow routed that way than spewing out where it can burn someone.