SERVPRO of Wilson County Water Heater Safety

10/27/2020 (Permalink)

No matter the season, taking a warm shower or bath can be refreshing and help to reinvigorate your entire body. It isn’t until you feel a frigid rush of the water turning cold after a few minutes that you understand how important your water heater is to your home! Now just imagine that you’re having issues with your water heater that end in Water Damage in Lebanon. These scenarios can easily be sidestepped as long as you follow these safety measures in your day-to-day. If after you are done reading this - please visit SEREVPRO of Wilson County if you have any future questions regarding water issues you may be having.

Don’t Do This

The warmer the better, right? Wrong. Especially in the Winter, setting your water heater above 120° F is a recipe for disaster. Just by setting the temperature this high, you can overload the unit. Until your water heater is overwhelmed, you also risk getting serious skin burns from the scalding hot water.

It also may seem like common sense to some, but it bears repeating here to never keep combustible material or flammable material within 18”; of the hot water heater. Since the exterior of your water heater can get hot to the touch, it could cause a massive fire if you were to nudge the flammable or combustible material close enough to touch the unit while it’s heating up.

Do This Instead

While ventilation is pretty technical, you should at least make sure your water heater vents are free of dips, that they go up and out (rather than up and down), and that they are the same diameter as the tank’s diverter. It’s also best practice to flush hot water heater through your drain valve at least once a year to remove sediment build-up. Lastly, be sure to test your water heater’s safety relief valve once a year to ensure proper operation. This device protects the heater from over-pressurizing and from exceeding 210° F.

Water Heater Water Damage Solutions

At the first sign of water heater troubles, it’s best to assume the worst and take proactive measures to ensure that a water heater mishap happens on your property. If you’ve been sidled by water damage due to a water heater leak or explosion, make sure to call SERVPRO of Wilson County for a consultation at (615) 449-5000 today. Our team is ready to respond to your water damage issues 24/7/365 and treat you and your property with respect and care because we understand how disruptive and damaging water damage can be.