My water heater is leaking. What do I do?
Shut off the cold water supply to the tank, then turn off its power: the breaker for an electric heater, or set a gas heater to "off" or "pilot". Keep clear of the water if it is near outlets or the panel.
Most water heaters have a shutoff valve on the cold line above the tank. If you cannot find it or it will not turn, close the main water shutoff for the house. Water from the tank may be hot, so be careful. If you smell gas, leave the house and call from outside. A plumber handles the tank. A water damage restoration company handles the wet floor, walls and anything the water reached.
If you replace a water heater with the same type, Naperville's permit guide says no permit is needed. A new or different unit, such as a change in power source, does need one.
What about a washer, dishwasher or fridge leak?
Turn off the appliance, close its supply valve (usually behind or under it), and unplug it only if the outlet and floor around it are dry. Then photograph the leak and start removing water.
Washing machine hoses, dishwasher supply lines and fridge ice maker lines are thin and run under pressure. When one fails, it keeps running until someone shuts it off. On a main floor, water often travels under cabinets and flooring and through to the ceiling below before anyone notices.
Is appliance water clean or contaminated?
A burst supply line to an appliance starts as clean Category 1 water. Discharge from a washing machine or dishwasher is Category 2, gray water with significant contamination.
That difference changes the cleanup. Category 1 water caught early gives the best chance to dry carpet, pad and drywall in place. Category 2 water usually means more cleaning, and some porous materials may need to go. Clean water also degrades as it sits, so a supply line that leaked for two days under a cabinet may be treated as Category 2.
There is a stain spreading on my ceiling. What should I do?
Stay out from under it, especially if it is near a light fixture or sagging. Turn off that circuit if you can do it from a dry spot, put a bucket under the drip, and find the source above: a bathroom, an appliance or the roof.
A sagging, bulging ceiling is holding water and can come down. Do not stand under it. Move furniture and electronics out of the way. If the source is a bathroom upstairs, shut off the water to that fixture or the main. If it only drips during rain, the roof or flashing is the likely source.
Water from above saturates insulation and drywall, which the IICRC treats as the heaviest drying load, Class 3. Ceilings often have to be opened so the cavity can dry. Ask the company to explain what they need to remove and why.
Will insurance cover appliance or plumbing leaks?
Generally, sudden and accidental discharge from plumbing or a household appliance is covered by a standard homeowners policy. Damage from a slow leak or lack of maintenance generally is not, and the failed appliance itself is often not covered.
That "sudden versus gradual" line is where many claims are argued. A hose that burst is sudden. A drip under the sink that rotted the cabinet over months is gradual. Photograph everything, keep the failed hose or part, and read our Illinois insurance guide.
How do I prevent the next appliance leak?
Know where every shutoff valve is, replace old rubber washer hoses, check under sinks and around the water heater a few times a year, and consider leak sensors near the water heater, washer and dishwasher.
- Leak sensors and automatic shutoff valves are widely sold and can catch a leak while you are at work.
- Turn off the washer supply valves if you leave for a long trip.
- Look for rust, drips or moisture at the base of the water heater.
- Recaulk tubs and showers when caulk cracks or pulls away.
For safety steps, mold timing, costs and choosing a company, read the Naperville water damage guide.