A failed 50-gallon water heater dumps 40+ gallons immediately and can release thousands more if the supply is still feeding it. We extract, dry, and restore — same-hour Austin dispatch.
Here's what to do — and what not to do — in the next 5 minutes. The window between the loss starting and significant structural damage is short. Every hour matters.
Water heaters in Austin homes fail in predictable patterns. Most are 8-15 years old when they fail.
Most common cause. The steel tank corrodes from inside as the sacrificial anode wears out. Lifespan typically 8-15 years; replacing the anode rod every 5 years extends life significantly.
The T&P relief valve fails open (continuous release) or closed (tank ruptures). Should be tested annually.
Connections at the top of the tank corrode or vibrate loose. Failures release water at the connection location.
Tankless heaters fail differently — internal heat exchanger leaks or burst supply lines. Annual descaling and maintenance per manufacturer.
Our crew arrives with extraction equipment, structural drying gear, moisture meters, and full PPE. In the first 60 minutes: water extraction, moisture mapping, photographic documentation, identification of how far water traveled, positioning of structural drying equipment.
Over the next 24-48 hours: continuous structural drying of subfloor, baseboards, and wall cavities; antimicrobial pre-treatment; daily moisture monitoring; coordination with insurance and plumber on heater replacement timing.
We bill your insurance carrier directly so your out-of-pocket cost is typically just your deductible. We work with every major Texas carrier — and the high-net-worth specialty carriers for Westlake, Rollingwood, and Lakeway custom-home losses.
Same-hour dispatch to all of these Austin-area cities. Our crews are local to Central Texas — we know the neighborhoods, the watersheds, the Hill Country topography, and the carriers.
Standard homeowners covers sudden and accidental discharge from appliances. The water heater itself (replacement cost) is usually NOT covered — that's wear-and-tear. The damage caused by the heater failure IS covered.
Replace the anode rod every 5 years, test the T&P valve annually, drain a few gallons annually to remove sediment, replace the unit at 10-12 years. Tankless: annual descaling. Pan and drain under heater catches small leaks.
Contained loss in garage/utility room: 3-7 days mitigation plus 1-2 weeks reconstruction. Interior closet with adjacent rooms affected: 7-14 days mitigation plus 3-5 weeks reconstruction. Second-floor heater damage: 2-4 weeks mitigation plus 4-8 weeks reconstruction.
Attic-mounted water heaters create the worst damage — the entire tank dumps onto ceiling drywall. Damage is multi-room. If you have an attic water heater approaching 10 years, consider proactive replacement.
Often there were warnings: rust-colored water, popping sounds, moisture around the base, T&P discharges. The failure happens suddenly but underlying conditions develop over months.
Same-hour IICRC-certified crew dispatch. Direct insurance billing. Free on-site assessment. Every hour of delay means more damage.