Turning The Tide On Water Heater Damage

Thursday, March 1, 2001

Turning The Tide On Water Heater Damage (NAPSA)—Here’s good newsfor homeowners: There are ways to avoid the sinking feeling a leaky water heater can bring—without making waves in your budget. Leaky water heaters can cause extensive damage, such as flooded basements, soaked possessions and damagedfloors, or worse yet, dangerous situations due to gas leaks. When many gas-fired water heaters leak, for example, their pilot lights are snuffed out. This can result in a situation that makes water damage the least of a homeowner’s worries. Experts say the key to stopping a water heater from springing a leak is early detection. In the past that meant constantly monitoring the device for deterioration to its body. Today, however, homeowners have a numberof different options for protecting their water heaters—andtheir homes. For example, a valve can be installed on new or old water heaters that deals with leaks before they become major problems. The valve, called WAGS (water and gas safety valve) helps keep leaks from becoming floods by automatically shutting off a heater’s water supply as soon as leaked water reaches three quarters of an inch in depth. In addition, the valve cuts off gas feeds when a waterleak is detected. The device is installed in a pan at the base of the heater, whereit Homeowners should keep close watch over their water heaters. A small leak can cause big damage. can sense the accumulation of water from a leak in the tank. The valve has a spring loaded piston that is activated by a disc that dissolves in water. When the piston moves forward, it closes off the flow of water into the tank. On gas-fired heaters it also breaks a fuse that shuts off the gas line. The WAGSvalveis available through plumbers and gas service technicians and comes with a $1,000 Lifetime Protection Policy against water damage. For more information call 1877-GET-WAGS, or visit www. wagsvalve.com.

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