Water Heater Safety Tips

Quite often we hear about fire accidents caused due to water heater explosions in homes. Now you can’t really stop using water heaters to prevent such accidents but you can certainly follow a set of safety measures to protect your family and your home. Most water heater installers explain the dos and don’ts of using a water heater. Here we have come up with a few water heater safety tips that you can practice to avoid any water heater mishaps. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Temperature Control

A residential water heater usually has 3 different settings – warm, hot, very hot.  And the most suitable temperature setting is 130 degrees at the tap. You can check for the accurate temperature with a thermometer. It is recommended that you have the temperature of your water heater at least 130 degrees. This helps to prevent Legionnaire’s disease which is caused by Legionella bacteria. If the temperature is 120 degrees then you are at risk of being infected by Legionella bacteria and if the temperature is higher than 130 degrees then there is a risk of sediment build up and higher energy consumption.

Ventilation

When it comes to water heater safety, it is crucial that you have a proper ventilation system. If you have a poor draft, then the carbon monoxide and fumes released from the tank can come back into the room instead of going out. In order to maintain good ventilation make sure that the vent has the same diameter as the tank’s draft diverter and see to it that the vent goes straight up and out without any dips.

Be Disaster Ready

Irrespective of whether you are in a disaster-prone region or not, you should ideally get your water heater strapped. Strapping your water heater to the wall will prevent it from falling over and damaging the gas line. Another benefit of strapping your water heater is that it can prevent theft of your tank. Copper piping and water heaters are usually stolen and sold in the scrap market for good money.

Fire Safety

Make sure there are no combustible materials kept o or around the water heater. Keep away all inflammable liquids including your pest-repellents and bug bombs. Having a neat and clean area around your water heater can go a long way in ensuring the safety of your home.

Get It Checked by a Professional Annually

The key to ensuring the smooth functioning and safety of your water heater is by getting a professional water heater installer to check your device at least once a year. If you use a gas and oil fired water heater, then burners have to be cleaned once a year. Get your service professional to thoroughly inspect your water heater for any minor problems.

You can reach out to our professionals at Hot Water Tanks Edmonton, for all kinds of water heater maintenance, repair, and installation services.