Getting to know your Water Heater

Don’t wait for your wet socks to tell you your water heater is leaking
Your home water heater is one of those things you don’t really think about, until you have a major problem. Once installed, it’s “out of sight, out of mind…” (until you have a major leak or you stop getting hot water!) We suggest taking a proactive approach – it will save you money, time, and a headache in the long run.

Why you should replace your water heater BEFORE it leaks:

-Save Money: It’s cheaper to be pay for the cost of replacing a water heater than to pay for the water damage or water loss cost. In addition, your homeowner’s policy or insurance company may only cover part of the damage and clean up, and may not cover the cost of the burst water heater. You will also pay your deductible and may risk having your rate go up or even be cancelled. A slow leak from your water heater often goes unnoticed, and by the time it’s obvious, a lot of wood and drywall can be ruined, and sometimes mold forms too.

-Save Water: Whether you have a 40, 50, or 75 gallon water heater, having it leak drip by drip, or having a major burst, can cause lots of water loss over time. If your water heater is located in a closet, a crawl space, or even in the garage on a stand or platform, you may not realize it’s leaking until you notice secondary damage, or receive a higher than average water bill.

-Maintain Comfort: If your hot water heater goes out, you or your family may be without hot water for a few hours or even until the next day. A water heater can burst or go out at any time, even the middle of the night. Getting a plumber out during overtime emergency hours can be costly.

Here’s a few steps you can take to get acquainted with your water heater:

1. Know the location of your water heater
Believe it or not, many people may not know the location of their water heater, especially if
they’re a new homeowner. Common locations are the garage, attic, closet, or crawl space.

2. Know where and how to shut off the water
Everyone who lives in your home should know how and where to turn off the water at the water heater and the main house shut off. Make sure the shut off is working – sometimes they get frozen and won’t work when you need it to, or in an emergency.

3. Know the age of your water heater
If you don’t have the original paperwork to indicate the water heater age, locate the water
heater serial number. Sometimes manufacturers display the date of when the water heater was made in the first four digits of the serial number. For example, 0895FR563 would indicate it was made in August of 1995. You can visit your manufacturer’s website for instructions on identifying the water heater age.

Pro-active Action Steps:
1. Call Ideal to schedule an appointment for your new water heater installation.

2. If you’re not ready to install a new water heater, we recommend placing a water alarm near your water heater. In the event your water heater starts to leak, a water alarm can alert you before a leak becomes major.