How To Fix Electric Water Heater After A Flood

Flooded / Always choose safety over budget.
Gas and Electric appliances (water heater, refrigerator, dryer, HVAC etc) ) must be replaced because of insulation and internal cavities.
Other types of flooded equipment (shop tools, motor, pump etc) should be replaced, but might dry out and a good cleaning might restore safe function, and protect budget. Be careful.

Avoid electrocution/
Stand on dry boards
Do not touch metal
Wear dry clothes
Do not touch wet water heater

Flooded water heater
Flooded gas water heater.
Burner parts and gas control are unreliable after flood.
Electrocution from touching wet water heater connected to outlet or grounded pipes
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flooded water heater
Flooded electric water heater
Electrocution from wet insulation and shorted parts.
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What to do when water heater floods: Replace water heater

Manufactures recommend replacing water heater that has been flooded.

Caution: Do not touch gas or electric water heater that has been flooded.
Gas water heater with electronics are plugged into outlet.
Most water heaters are connected to pipes that are connected to main breaker box with ground wire. Out-of-code wiring can be extremely dangerous.
Electric water heaters are connected to main breaker box directly.
Turn off all electric power, disconnect water heater connections and remove water heater from premises.
Inside each water heater is insulation. Water will soak the insulation, and it will not dry immediately. This poses risk to operation of electric water heater and any gas water heater requiring electric current.

Electric water heater: the insulation will not dry without covers located on side of tank being removed,
Thermostats will not work if covers and insulation are removed.
Electric water heater thermostats exposed to room temperature will misread temperature, causing water heater to overheat.
After insulation is totally dry, and parts that got wet are replaced, electric water heater can be put into service, but warranty is void.
There is no way to know when insulation is totally dry, or if mildew and other problems will develop.
How to replace thermostat How to replace element

Gas water heater: Is unreliable after flood. Warranty is void. Combustion may not fully burn gas, causing fire and explosion hazard. It is possible to restore functionality of gas water heater by replacing burner, and cleaning air intake, but gas control valve should also be replaced, even if control valve was not under water. Identifying number for gas valve located on side of gas control valve.
Resettable ECO must be replaced if installed on water heater, and FVIR system might need replacement. Dirty and shorted parts are dangerous and unreliable.
Off-the-shelf parts might not be available locally or available quickly.
Cost of do-it-yourself part replacement can be greater than cost of new heater,
People report cleaning parts after a flood, and unit still doesn't work. No guarantee that function can be restored.
How to clean burner parts and clean air intake

Recommended action: Install new gas water heater yourself:
2011: New water heater and connections cost $350. Project takes a few hours. Easier with a helper.
Local box store has everything.
Open following link for step-by-step.
How-to-install-gas-water-heater

All brands of water heater are good :
Water heater manufacturers

Leaking washing machine hose is cause of flooded home. Install braided washing machine hoses.