How well do you maintain your water heater?

Many of the Pennsylvania home insurance claims that are filed each year relate to water heater failures, and damage caused by failed water heaters is a common reason for water damage claims throughout the United States. Most water heaters fail after they have been in service for some years and failure is typically caused by corrosion and rust in the water tank.

Although regular maintenance can prolong the useful life of a water heater, many householders take their water heaters for granted and have no regular maintenance program. Ideally, scheduled maintenance of a water tank should be carried out annually and include flushing sediment out of the tank and inspecting the heater’s anode rod.  

The anode rod is intended to protect the water tank from corroding by attracting corrosion to itself and away from the steel tank; the anode rod must be replaced immediately if it is found to be fully corroded. Sediment needs to be flushed out of the tank because a build-up of sediment prevents the anode rod from functioning correctly.

Having your water heater maintained regularly helps to prolong its life and can avoid the inconvenience of a sudden water heater failure. Repairing and maintaining water heaters is specialized work that should be done by a licensed plumbing contractor; talk to your agent or insurer if you are unsure what water damage or heater related repairs are covered by Pennsylvania home insurance.

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