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Most Important Steps When Your Hot Water Heater Bursts

There are moments in life that define you, these are generally the way you react in an emergency situation. The good news is that you can pre-plan for most emergencies, ensuring you react calmly and do what needs to be done.

Remember, when a hot water heater bursts you’re likely to be dealing with very hot water! That means proceeding with caution as you don’t want to be burned by that water. 

Shut Off The Water

The hot water heater is connected to your cold water supply. When hot water exits the tank, cold water is drawn in from the supply and heated, ready to be used. 

That means when a hot water heater bursts you’re not just dealing with the hot water that was in your tank, because it’s connected to your main supply it’s a never-ending supply of water.

The first thing you need to do is shut off the water to your water heater. If you don’t know where that valve is, shut off the water to your entire house.

That will minimize the amount of water emptying into your home.

You should also switch off the power supply to your home. Electricity and water do not mix well. The last thing you want is electrified water that could kill you. 

Collect The Water

The next step is to try to minimize the damage caused by the water. There are two options here, depending on how the tank has burst.

If the tank has literally blown a hole in it and the water has cascaded out then your main aim should be to get anything important off the floor and away from the water. You can’t stop it from spreading across the floor.

Only once you’ve shifted the objects can you consider getting rid of the water.

The alternative is that the burst tank is spilling water at a high rate but you may be able to capture it in a bucket. If this is possible it will reduce the amount of water spreading across your floor. 

In either case, any water remaining in the tank needs to be removed if possible, this will reduce the damage to your home.

Call A Plumber

It’s time to call the emergency plumber Sydney and get help. They can remove the water heater, restore water to your home, and arrange to fit a new water heater. 

Ideally, you already use a plumbing firm, which means you have a number ready to call and they’ll want to look after an established customer. 

Take Photos

Before you get stuck into clearing up the mess, take plenty of photos. These are important if you can claim on your insurance policy. The photos will show the burst water heater and the damage caused, helping you to make a claim and get the funds you need to repair the damage. 

Clearing up means bailing the water out of your home, airing it to help the floor and walls dry, and probably replacing most of the flooring and furniture. It’s an unpleasant job but the sooner you get started the better.