Can we talk about water heater maintenance in Atlanta

I ignored my water heater for 4 years. Then my neighbor's unit flooded her basement off Piedmont Road last month. $3,800 in damage. She was kicking herself. I called a plumber the next day. He flushed mine for $150. Found a small crack starting on the drain valve. Replaced it for $40 part. Has anyone else had a close call with their tank?

2 comments

2 Comments

diana82912d ago

You said your neighbor's unit flooded and she paid $3,800 in damage but that's not quite right. Actually, $3,800 is probably just the cost to fix the floors and drywall, not counting any personal stuff that got ruined. My cousin had a water heater burst in Decatur and her total was way higher because of replacing furniture and dealing with mold. Plus, most home insurance deductibles are $1,000 to $2,500 these days so she might have paid even more out of pocket than she thought. You got lucky catching that crack early because a full blown leak can easily run into five figures real fast. It's not just the water damage either, it's the hassle of living in a hotel for weeks while they fix everything.

schmidt.grace9d ago

Good point Diana, I always assumed those numbers covered everything but your cousin's story really opened my eyes.