Water Heater Failures
By James Lunders, Insurance Agent
When was the last time you thought about your water heater? Most people don’t unless it stops working during a power outage. It’s wonderful that something works so dependably for years and years, but that wonderful service can lull you into complacency and have drastic consequences.
Did you know…
- 29.7 % of all water heaters in the United States will rupture before they’re 9 years old.
- Over 69% of water heaters will rupture by age 14.
- Each year an estimated 5,000,000 water heaters will be replaced due to ruptures. A hot water heater will fail regardless of whether or not the water is flowing or the resident is home.
- The repair costs from water heater ruptures can be among the most expensive because the water heater is inside the home, holds large quantities of mold inducing hot water, and can go unnoticed for long periods of time.
- Decreasing the amount of water heater failures by half could potentially save the insurance industry an estimated 5-10 billion dollars a year.
To protect your home from the devastating effects of a hot water heater failure, be sure to visually inspect the heater monthly, check the age and replace hot water heaters after 10 years, and talk to your plumber about placing the heater in an area that won’t be greatly affected by water like your garage, basement or crawlspace. Never put a hot water heater in your attic. If it fails, the water will affect every part of the home under the unit causing tremendous amounts of aggravation to the homeowner and a major expense to the insurance company.