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 To some, water heaters are as mysterious as a black hole. That black hole sucks in nearly six million heaters (from the United States) each year as people endure the cycle of installing a new tank, forgetting it, having it leak, and replacing it. However, ignoring water heaters can be more than a costly annoyance."Their neglect can result in personal injury, property damage, and worse. Take heed, or you could end up in very hot water indeed. Water heaters are versatile: They can leak, explode, make scalding water, produce poisonous carbon monoxide gas, and cause fires. Fortunately, it's within your power to avoid these problems if you learn a little about water heaters and how to manage them. Prevent explosions. All tanks must be equipped with a new temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valve when installed. The purpose of the T&P is to protect the tank from excessive pressure and prevent it from ever reaching the boiling point. If a tank heated above 212 degrees ruptures, it will explode with amazing power: a 40-gallon heater can level a house. Avoid the possibility of an explosion by making sure the heater's T&P valve is functioning. (They can clog and be unable to release water.) Test the relief valve at least yearly. Lift the test lever and allow it to snap back down.
Check also to be sure the drain line is piped from the T&P to a safe location. Otherwise, someone could get sprayed with boiling water while the valve is doing its job. Avoid fires and scalding. Does the tank have a blanket on it? Blankets save energy, but they also cover up safety stickers. You may hope tenants use good sense, but it helps to teach them as much about safety as possible. The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) has free safety stickers and other information covering fire and scald prevention. Call them at 1-800-GAMA-811. Put stickers on older tanks or those with blankets.
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If little or no water runs while it's open or if it leaks after you close it, replace it. (In our hard-water area, about a quarter of the valves fail this test.) It may be an annoyance to replace relief valves, but that's nothing compared to the potential for problems caused by not replacing them.| Dan Holohan - [Intro] | [Email] | [Website] |
| The views expressed in this article are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the management or staff of MasterPlumbers.com |
