A dry visible floor does not establish that a water heater leak alert is false. Water may be confined to the pan or sensor location, and the automatic valve may have limited further leakage. Identify the alarm, inspect accessible areas, and have persistent sensor or valve faults diagnosed without bypassing protection.
Separate a water alert from a valve fault
Automatic shutoff equipment varies by model. The cited Rheem manual calls its optional combination of leak sensing and a shutoff valve LeakGuard. It says detected water triggers an alert, disables heating and closes the valve when that equipment is installed. Other heaters may provide only an alarm. An app notification does not prove every unit has the same protection.
That manual also describes a periodic valve self-check and separate alarms for a valve that cannot open or close. Those are different from its A107 water-detected alert. Write down the complete code, whether the heater still heats, and whether hot-water flow has stopped. This gives the technician a useful starting point without guessing at parts.
Look at the accessible sensor area
From a dry, safe position, look in the drain pan and around exposed supply fittings, the tank drain and accessible condensate piping. A pan can hold a little water while the surrounding floor stays dry. Do not move a rope sensor out of its intended location, disconnect it or cover it so an alarm stops.
If water is spreading toward electrical equipment, keep clear and follow shutting off a leaking water heater. Do not touch cords or controls while standing in water. Closing the supply does not empty a tank or guarantee that all dripping immediately stops.
What needs service when everything looks dry?
A persistent alert can require checking the sensor, its installation, valve operation and control system. The manual's technical troubleshooting includes work inside the heater. Those procedures are for qualified service personnel, not a reason for an owner to disconnect a sensor or override an alarm.
Have the cause established before restoring normal operation through the approved procedure. Save a photo of the display and tell the technician about any recent service or pan water you already dried. For physical leaks, water in the heater drain pan explains the plumbing sources. A separate heat pump heater condensate alarm concerns its moisture drain rather than an assumed tank failure.