What to Do if Your Water Heater Stops Working

The process of waking up is difficult. You have to move from your nice warm bed, get a shower, get dressed, and make and drink your coffee all before you can even start your day. Now, imagine that you get up, as difficult as that is on its own, and you move slowly toward the shower, turn on the hot water, and wait for the shower to warm up only to find that nothing at all happens.

The water stays extremely cold, you realize there will be no shower this morning, and you try to wrap your mind around what’s happening. Did the breaker trip during the night? Is the hot water heater itself broken? You’ll need to evaluate the situation.

As you walk down the stairs, you can hear a faint dripping noise, as if you’ve left a faucet running somewhere. You keep going, and as you enter the basement, you can hear water running for sure. You just need to figure out where it’s coming from. As you hit the bottom step, you step down to the basement floor and realize you haven’t looked at the situation properly. You’re standing in the lake that used to be your basement. There will be no hot shower happening this morning. So, what do you do now?

What to Do When There is Water in Your Basement

First, you’ll need to turn off the source of water. If you have water leaking in from a window, the water heater leaking, or a leaking pipe, it’s important to stop the flow of water so the damage can come to a halt. Shut down any valves leading to the area, close any main water pipes, and close any windows if water is getting in that way.

Next, you’ll need to do something about the water that’s already entered the area. Water can spread fast, and it has the power to do a great deal of damage if it isn’t handled right away. If you don’t have a drain for water in your basement, it’s important to contact a company that provides emergency water extraction services, like those that a professional water damage restoration company provides.

The Longer You Wait, The Worse the Damage Gets

It’s important to take care of flooded areas and water leaks as quickly as you can. Most homes are not waterproofed at all on the interior. This means that standing water can seep into your drywall, carpets, floors, and furniture. The standing water can also become a health hazard over time. In addition, mold and mildew can grow quite quickly in your basement if the area has had issues with water damage.

Versatile Restoration Pros is proud to offer an around the clock emergency response to all of your water damage issues, working to restore you property and completely solve your problem. We’ll work with you to return your life to normal as soon as possible.

The water heater story we told you? That is from a satisfied customer. And within only twelve hours, the basement was completely free of water. Within 48 hours, the basement was totally dry and had been tested for mold. Within 72 hours, the basement had been restored to normal, including the carpets and furnishings, as well as a new water heater. The customer was able to enjoy a hot shower the very next morning.