Water Heater Burst or Leaking in Boise: What to Do Right Now

Safety first: hot water, electricity, and gas

1. 1

   Stay clear of hot water

   GE Appliances warns that water released from a heater’s relief valve “may be hot enough to create a scald hazard” (GE Appliances). Don’t put your hands near a spraying fitting or reach under a tank that’s gushing. Close the supply valve or the main (see below), and give the tank time to cool.

2. 2

   Be careful with electricity

   Federal guidance from Ready.gov says, “Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water,” and to turn off the electricity “if it is safe to do so.”

   For an electric water heater, switch off its breaker at the panel, but only if you can get there while standing on dry ground. If water is near the panel or you’d have to walk through water to reach it, stay away and call an electrician.

3. 3

   Turn off the gas control, and know what to do if you smell gas

   On a gas water heater, find the gas control (usually a knob near the bottom of the unit) and set it to OFF or PILOT, as a homeowner guide from the Great Lakes Water Authority advises (Great Lakes Water Authority).

Stop the water: the supply valve and the main

A leaking tank doesn’t just empty and stop. As This Old House explains, a catch pan won’t shut a water heater off, and “full city water pressure continues to feed water through the supply line indefinitely” (This Old House). Closing a valve matters more than anything you do with a mop.

The heater’s cold water valve. A tank heater has two pipes on top, one bringing cold water in and one sending hot water out. The shutoff is usually on the cold line, which may be labeled “cold” or “inlet.” Turn a round handle clockwise until it stops, or turn a lever so it sits across the pipe. Tankless heaters have a cold supply line, too.

The home’s main valve. If you can’t find the heater’s valve, can’t reach it without stepping into hot water, or it won’t budge, close the main water shutoff for the house. It’s often in a basement, utility room, garage, or crawl space, near where the water line comes in. Our frozen or burst pipe guide has more on finding it.

Should you drain the tank?

Usually, not right away. With the supply off, a tank leak will usually slow down, and draining hot water is how people get burned. It’s fine to leave it for the plumber.

If water is still reaching finished floors and you’re comfortable doing it, the Great Lakes Water Authority’s flushing steps go like this: set the gas control to pilot or off, shut off the cold water inlet valve, open a hot water faucet anywhere in the home, then run a garden hose from the drain valve near the bottom of the tank to a floor drain. On an electric heater, switch off the breaker instead of the gas. Let the water cool first if you can, and don’t do it while standing in water near electrical equipment.

Relief valve or tank failure? How to tell

Not every puddle means the tank has burst. Where the water starts tells you a lot.

About the relief valve. The T&P relief valve is a safety device. The International Code Council says that when everything is working properly, it shouldn’t discharge, so any discharge points to a problem with the heater, the water system, or the valve itself. Indoors, its discharge pipe typically ends within 6 inches of the floor or a drain (International Code Council), so valve water shows up at the base of the heater and is easy to mistake for a tank leak.

Water heater maker A. O. Smith links on-and-off dribbling to pressure, often from thermal expansion, and a large rush of hot water to a faulty thermostat (A. O. Smith, Bulletin 52). Either way, GE Appliances warns, “Do not plug the relief valve outlet.” Shut off the energy to the heater and call a plumber.

About a true tank failure. Rheem says “pooling water around the tank body itself is a serious concern,” and that water collecting at the base usually means internal corrosion has broken through the metal. At that point, Rheem says, replacement “becomes the only safe and cost-effective solution” (Rheem).

Where the water goes, and what to check

Where your heater sits shapes where the water ends up. In a garage, check the bottom of shared walls and any cardboard boxes on the floor. In a basement, closet, or laundry room, water can soak into carpet, pad, wood floors, baseboards, and the bottom of nearby walls. If the heater is upstairs or in an attic, water can come through the ceiling below; see our guide to water coming through the ceiling.

Move rugs, electronics, and important papers somewhere dry. Before you clean up, take wide photos and video of each wet area, then close-ups of the heater, its label, and where the water is coming from. Rheem also suggests photographing leaks and rust before you call a plumber (Rheem).

Why water heaters fail

Age. Openly, a homeowners insurance provider, says conventional tank heaters “typically last 8-12 years,” and that tankless models can last 15 to 20 years or longer with proper maintenance (Openly). Over time, the inside of a tank corrodes until it finally leaks.

Sediment and hard water. The U.S. Geological Survey explains, “When hard water is heated, such as in a home water heater, solid deposits of calcium carbonate can form,” and “this scale can reduce the life of equipment” (USGS). Rheem says rumbling or popping sounds usually point to sediment buildup. How hard is the water here? It depends on your provider. The City of Meridian, for example, says its water averages 7 grains per gallon (City of Meridian), about 120 mg/L, at the upper end of what the USGS calls moderately hard. Your provider’s annual water quality report lists the figure for your area.

Pressure. Water expands when it’s heated. If a check valve keeps it from flowing back toward the street, pressure climbs each time the heater runs (GE Appliances). A. O. Smith lists a relief valve that drips during heating, when no water is being used, as a sign (A. O. Smith, Bulletin 45).

Who to call: usually two different jobs

The plumber repairs or replaces the heater. Idaho’s Plumbing Board licenses plumbers, and you can check a license on the state’s public search or by calling 208-334-3233 (Idaho DOPL). The City of Boise’s plumbing permit fee schedule includes hot water heaters (City of Boise), so ask your plumber whether your job needs a permit and who will get it. Outside Boise city limits, your own city or county sets the rules.

The drying crew handles water that’s already in your house, which a plumber usually doesn’t. A restoration crew can measure moisture, remove water, run fans and dehumidifiers, and take out wet materials that can’t be saved. Many homeowners need both, often on the same day.

Drying out: why the clock matters

The EPA says, “It is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth” (US EPA). With a water heater leak, keep in mind:

• Water hides. Carpet pad, the bottom of drywall, and the space under wood or laminate floors can stay wet after the surface feels dry. Ask the crew to measure moisture and show you the readings.
• Hold off on paint and patching until readings show the area is dry. Paint over damp drywall can trap moisture.

If mold does appear, the EPA says you can usually clean an area of about 10 square feet or less yourself. For larger areas, the EPA points to its more detailed cleanup guidance and suggests that any contractor you hire have mold cleanup experience. If you have health concerns, talk to a health professional before you start.

What homeowners insurance usually says about a burst water heater

Every policy is different, so your own policy has the final word. Still, insurers and consumer guides describe a common pattern:

Here’s what several sources say:

• NerdWallet says that if you’ve properly maintained the water heater, “your homeowners policy would likely cover the water damage,” but it “wouldn’t pay to fix or replace the water heater unless you’ve added equipment breakdown coverage to your policy” (NerdWallet).
• Kin Insurance says that “if your water heater simply malfunctions, your home insurance probably won’t pay to repair or replace it” (Kin Insurance).
• Openly says that if a known slow leak is ignored, an insurer “might argue that the damage wasn’t sudden or accidental and deny the claim” (Openly).

Read your own policy, or ask your agent to walk you through it. To protect your claim, the Idaho Department of Insurance suggests:

• Take photos or video of the damage before cleanup.
• Keep receipts for anything you buy or pay for to prevent more damage.
• Don’t throw anything out until your adjuster says it’s okay.
• Read any contractor’s contract carefully before you sign it.

The department also notes that your policy requires you to keep the damage from getting worse. Before the plumber hauls away the old heater, photograph it and its label, and ask your insurer whether you need to keep it. Questions about your claim? The department’s consumer hotline is 800-721-3272. Our guide to water damage insurance claims in Idaho walks through the whole process.

Choosing help without getting rushed

With water on the floor, it’s easy to say yes to the first person who can come. Take a minute anyway. Ask how the price will be set, whether you can see it in writing before you sign, and whether the paperwork signs over your insurance payments. Our guide on how to choose a water damage company in Boise covers the red flags, and if the bill ends up bigger than what insurance paid, see what to do when a restoration bill is higher than your insurance payout.

Once things are dry: lowering the odds of a repeat

None of this needs to happen tonight. When things settle down:

• Know your heater’s age. The date is often coded into the serial number on the label. If yours is in the 8-to-12-year range, start planning a replacement.
• Flush the tank. The Great Lakes Water Authority says flushing annually “is recommended to maintain performance,” following the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Test the relief valve. GE Appliances recommends lifting and releasing the valve’s lever once a year, with the water going to a drain and no one nearby.
• Add a pan and a leak alarm. This Old House suggests a drip pan connected to a drain and a moisture sensor on the floor beside the heater, plus, for more protection, an automatic shutoff valve that closes the supply on its own (This Old House).
• Ask about an expansion tank. In a closed system, GE Appliances recommends one on the cold water line between the heater and the check valve. A plumber can tell you whether you need one.
• Show everyone where the shutoff valves are.