Concerned About Water Heater Safety? Here Are A Few Do's And Don'Ts

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Water heaters may seem like relatively benign pieces of equipment, but there are plenty of dangers lurking in the background. A poorly maintained or defective water heater can easily cause a fire or explosion, which could result in serious injuries and severe structural damage to your home. There are plenty of things you should do—as well as things you should avoid at all cost—that can help keep your water heater safe and in great shape.

Water Heater Safety Dos

Here's a brief list of things you'll definitely want to do on a regular basis in order to keep your water heater safe and in good health:

  • Flush your water heater at least once a year to remove sediment buildup. This prevents hot spots from forming that could lead to kettling and other problems with your water heater.
  • Test the pressure relief valve at least once a year to verify that it works properly. The pressure relief valve is essential for preventing dangerous pressure buildup that could lead to a potential explosion.
  • Always follow your manufacturer's recommended guidelines concerning regularly-scheduled maintenance. Most manufacturers recommend having your water heater serviced by a professional on a yearly basis.
  • If you're going on vacation, set your water heater's temperature to its lowest setting. In addition to making your water heater safer to operate while you're away, you'll also save money through reduced energy consumption.
  • Make sure your water heater is properly ventilated. Doing so will help lower the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

If you don't feel comfortable doing any of the above yourself, you can always have a trained and certified technician come out and perform these tasks on your behalf.

Water Heater Safety Don'ts

There are also plenty of things you'll want to avoid doing if you want your water heater to function safely:

  • Don't set your water heater's temperature above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. At higher temperatures, you could run the risk of scalding yourself when you use your hot water.
  • Don't leave flammable or combustible material near the water heater. This includes paper, clothing, solvents, and other flammable liquids.
  • Don't let children or animals play or wander near the water heater.
  • Don't put off emergency repairs if they're needed. Even something as relatively simple as a slow leak could spiral into something much worse if left unchecked.

You can always consult your technician if you have any questions about water heater safety.

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5 July 2017

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Every summer, I agonized over energy bills that would shoot into the stratosphere as a result of my efforts to keep cool in the heat. Every time I turned the temperature down, my bills increased. This summer, I decided to take some of the control over my energy bill back. I installed reflective film on my windows that reduced the amount of light and heat coming into the house. I started serving more cold meals or asking my husband to barbecue outside, so that my air conditioner didn't have to compete with the hot stove, and I started doing laundry at night to reduce appliance heat in the house at peak times. I also had ceiling fans installed. So far, the difference in my bill has been tremendous. This blog is a way for me to explore other ways to reduce energy drain during the summer months.