As the old saying goes,” out of sight, out of mind.” This is often the water heater maintenance plan adopted by most homeowners. Unfortunately, this is also the reason some water heaters spring a leak. And a burst pipe expels between four and eight gallons of water every minute. Yikes! Even a small leak can expel 22 gallons of water a day. So it is important to be vigilant and know what to look for. Identifying the warning signs of a leak early can save you a lot of heartache and a lot of money in water damage restoration costs.
According to the Farmers Insurance Group, 90% of household damage in Baltimore is the result of water damage and flooding, and water damage is the 2nd most frequently filed homeowners claim in the United States (American Insurance Association).
Dealing with Leaking Hot Water Heaters
Over the course of your home’s life, appliances and pipes begin to breakdown and leak, including water heaters. Normally located in the basement, it is easy to ignore your water heater until something goes wrong. As long as you consistently have hot water, why would you ever check on your water heater, right? Well, it is this type of thinking that can get a homeowner in trouble. So do yourself a favor and inspect your water heater at least once a month. It will only take a couple minutes and help prevent extensive water damage.
- Look for water on the ground. If you notice any amount of water in the ground, this could be a clear warning sign of a leak.
- Find the origin of the leak. Next, try to pinpoint the location of the leak. If it is something you can easily fix, do it. Don’t forget too to shut off all water to the unit. If the repair is beyond your capabilities, call in a professional plumber. A plumber will be able to quickly diagnose the issue and repair your water heater in no time.
- Deal with water damage. If you caught the leak early, you might not have much water damage to deal with. However, if the leak has gone unnoticed for quite some time, you may need to call in a professional water damage restoration company, like ServiceMaster of Baltimore.
Water Damage Restoration from ServiceMaster of Baltimore
Water damage should only be handled by certified professionals, like ServiceMaster of Baltimore. We have IICRC certified restoration technicians on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, who can restore your property as quickly as possible and with the least amount of inconvenience to you.
Call (410) 498-8030 for Emergency Restoration!
Hopefully you have found our blog, “Dealing with Hot Water Heaters and Basement Water Damage in Baltimore,” informative and helpful. Continue to check back weekly for more helpful tips.
