Keystone Restoration warns aging water heaters are flooding South Valley basements

Keystone Restoration Group is warning South Valley homeowners that many water heaters installed during the area's earlier building boom are reaching the end of their service life. The company says sudden tank failures can dump dozens of gallons into finished basements in minutes, driving costly water and mold damage.

Why it matters: - Water heater failures can flood finished basements fast, soaking carpet, drywall, subfloor and wall cavities before homeowners notice the damage. - Homes built out 15 to 20 years ago may still have original units or first replacements that are now near or past the point where failures become common. - The risk is highest where basement finishes make cleanup and drying harder and increase the chance of mold.

What happened: - Keystone Restoration Group urged homeowners in South Jordan, Bluffdale, Draper and Lehi to check the age of their water heaters. - The warning targets neighborhoods built during the region's earlier residential growth, where many tank water heaters are now reaching the end of their typical life. - Seth Saxton, founder of Keystone Restoration Group, said a tank rupture gives no warning and the first sign is often standing water already inside the walls.

The details: - A standard tank water heater typically lasts about 10 to 12 years. - A failure at the bottom seam can release 40 to 50 gallons at once. - The supply line can keep feeding the leak until someone manually shuts off the valve. - Water can reach carpet and pad, baseboard, drywall bottom plate and subfloor within minutes. - Keystone recommends checking the manufacture date on the unit's data plate. - Keystone recommends putting any heater past 10 years on a replacement schedule. - Keystone recommends confirming the unit sits in a drain pan with a drain line that actually leads to a floor drain or the exterior. - Keystone says a pan without an outlet does not protect against a leak. - Keystone recommends inspecting the expansion tank because a waterlogged expansion tank can raise system pressure and shorten heater life. - Keystone recommends testing the cold water shutoff valve above the heater to make sure it turns freely before an emergency.

Between the lines: - The warning reflects a common post-boom maintenance problem in fast-growing suburbs: infrastructure installed during a housing surge often reaches replacement age at the same time. - The biggest risk is not only the tank itself, but also whether the home has the basic safeguards needed to limit damage when a failure happens. - Saxton's warning underscores the difference between slow leaks, which can show staining or a musty smell, and sudden ruptures, which can cause damage before homeowners have time to react.

What's next: - Keystone expects homeowners to inspect water heater age, drainage and shutoff readiness before a failure occurs. - The company offers 24/7 emergency response for residential and commercial water losses across South Jordan, Bluffdale, Draper, Lehi and surrounding counties. - Keystone Restoration Group is based in Sandy and serves Salt Lake, Utah, Davis and Wasatch counties.