How Old Is Your Water Heater? Reading the Label
Decoding serial numbers and the signs a tank is near the end.
FRANKLIN COUNTY · WA
Franklin County
Pasco, Connell, and Burbank just across the Snake.
Fast Growth on the Other Side of the Columbia
In Franklin County, most water damage calls come from Pasco's newer neighborhoods: original water heaters and supply lines wearing out around the same age, washing machines in upstairs laundry rooms, and frozen lines in garages during cold snaps. Farther north, around Connell, wells, long water lines and outbuildings add their own winter risks.
Franklin County sits north and east of the Columbia, across the river from Richland and Kennewick, with the Snake River along its southern edge. Pasco is the county seat and one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Most of the rest of the county is irrigated farmland and dryland wheat.
Services in Franklin County
Water Heater & Appliance Leaks
Rusted tanks, split washer hoses, dishwasher and ice-maker lines.
Towns in Franklin County and Nearby
- Pasco: the county's largest city, older east side and fast-growing west side
- Connell: a farm town on US 395, north of Pasco
- Burbank: across the Snake River in Walla Walla County
Two Housing Eras in Pasco
Pasco's older homes, east of downtown, were built decades ago with materials of their time: galvanized or early copper pipe and water heaters replaced more than once. Its newer homes, spread across the west side, have plastic piping and newer heaters, but often route plumbing through walls and ceilings above finished rooms. A leak behaves differently in each. In an older home it often drips into the crawl space unseen; in a newer one it tends to show up as a ceiling stain on the floor below.
Guides for Franklin County Homes
Irrigation and Sprinkler Line Breaks Near the Foundation
How a yard leak ends up under the house, and what to check.
Landlords, Tenants and Water Damage in Washington Rentals
Who reports what, who fixes what, and what renters insurance covers.