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The new year is a good time for homeowners to check the house for old and worn-out parts in need of renewal.

That is the cautionary tale of one man in Singapore whose overhead storage water heater fell off without warning.

The man shared a photo of his collapsed water heater on the Facebook group Singapore Home DIY.

He hoped it could serve as a "gentle reminder" for others to check their storage heater, and whether the bracket holding it up had signs of rust.

The man had been using the storage heater for more than 10 years, he said.

After the incident, he brought the water heater down to get it replaced, but said he did not advise others to do so alone.

With around 30 litres of water still in the tank, the thing easily weighed 60 to 80kg, he described.

Water leak can cause bracket to rust

In the comments section, users chimed in with their own expertise.

They said two-point brackets are more secure and emphasised that having a stainless steel bracket is paramount.

Another shared an easy test to check if an aircon or water heater's brackets are made of stainless steel — a strong magnet.

When asked if he had a stainless steel bracket, the man simply said he had no idea, as the flat is a resale property, with the heater already installed when he moved in.

He explained that incident was likely caused by the shoddy work of the previous contractor, who had broken some tiles while drilling but failed to patch them up properly.

The accumulation of moisture then accelerated the corrosion of the bracket.

Luckily, no one was in the shower when the structure broke off the wall.

And by a stroke of good fortune, the water pipes attached to the tank held fast, preventing it from crashing to the floor and causing more damage.

All images by Charles Lim/FB.