Parts is Parts – 8 Things to Remember With Water Damaged Water Heaters

Do you remember that Wendy’s commercial back in the 80’s that made the expression “parts is parts” famous?  You can refresh your memory by clicking on the video to the right or, if you can’t see it there, click here.  The expression “parts is parts” popped into my head yesterday because we had another busy day at Hot Water 911 ‘s Parts Department as a result of the many flooded basements and damaged water heaters.   We love being able to help you out if your water heater was affected by the rains that we had this past weekend.  And, chances are, we have the parts for your particular water heater.  But, that being said, just as in the Wendy’s commercial that differentiates between getting the real deal with chicken vs. settling for the parts of a chicken, we want to share with you a few things to keep in mind as you tackle your water heater.

8 Things to Remember When Dealing With Water Damaged Water Heaters

1. We at Hot Water 911 do not advocate or recommend the permanent repair of water heaters that have been submerged in water for any length of time.
2. The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the American Gas Association (AGA) both agree that if a water heater has been subjected to flooding, it needs to be replaced because of the potential for life safety issues, not the least of which is the propagation of mold
3. If your intent is to make a temporary repair to your residential or commercial water heater, you must replace every part that got wet during the flooding.
4. Any electrical parts that would have been subjected to a prolonged period of elevated humidity also must be replaced when you are doing your temporary repair.
5. If you should be fortunate enough to have flood insurance, you must convince your insurance carrier that it is to nobody’s beneficial interest to assume that a repair to a flood damaged water heater is anything more than temporary
6. When you are calling for parts to make that temporary repair to your water heater, be sure to have your full make, model and serial number of the unit in question available
7. Always make sure that you use a fully trained manufacturer’s certified service agent to make the repairs…we do not recommend that the owner or anyone who is not factory trained attempt to make these repairs on their own
8. Today’s water heaters are very complicated and require the exact part when repairing it…there is no longer a “one size fits all” water heater repair…it is no longer your father’s water heater