About 25% of the energy used in your home goes toward heating your water. Even though it causes a large utility bill, your hot water heater is one of your most underappreciated, ignored, and neglected home appliances. Day after day, year after year, it supplies you with reliable hot water for bathing, laundry, and cleaning. One day, maybe years later, your unit could fail, sending a deluge of water into your attic, garage, or interior closet. This flood could ruin floors, walls, and furnishings if not addressed right away– causing even more expensive damage.
Having a full-service restoration partner like Flood Pro will lessen the stress of recovering from a water disaster and improve the quality of work done. Before that happens, here are the following signs you should watch for in your water heater before needing a major restoration process.
On average, tank water heaters will last about 10-12 years with normal use and care. Several other factors can cause heaters to break down faster. One is the chemical makeup of the water in your home. When “hard water” is heated, those mineral deposits separate and settle onto the bottom of your water heater tank and reducing your water heater’s efficiency. Take note if the following are happening:
If your water heater is at the end of its life span, consider proactively replacing it with a newer, more energy-efficient model. Keep your eye out for any resulting water damage.
Even well-maintained units can be a timebomb in your home. You face the chance of water damage via two causes: an instant break with a huge flood or a slow leak. Both can be very damaging to your home and both require restoration to repair damaged materials.
When a 40 or 50-capacity tank breaks open, that rust-colored murky water will fill any enclosed space. The utility closet may end up with several inches of water in it. The floors and baseboards are not designed to handle that much moisture. When water touches the drywall, the porous materials will act like a sponge. This amount of water will weaken the walls within days.
Slow drips leave an area with high humidity. This often leads to crumbling drywall, rust stains, and bug infestations. Plus, mold can flourish in enclosed areas with low light and no ventilation. Either problem requires a qualified water restoration team to manage your repair safely.
If your unit has leaked or failed and flooded your home with dirty water, you need to get that water out ASAP and begin the cleanup and repairs. Call the water damage restoration experts at Flood Pro to assist with your water damage needs. For 30 years, they have been trusted to protect and restore Mission Viejo homes after serious water damage. When your hot water heater fails and spills 50 gallons of water, you’ll need a team of experts to restore your home. After they safely remove all the water, they will make a plan to systematically repair your home, without spreading the mess to untouched rooms. Call for a free home inspection or for any emergency services, the crew is on call 24/7.
