The Dreadful Plumbing Nightmare

A water heater blowing up can be a very dangerous event . The Internet is full of fatal events in which explodeing water heaters literally wrecked dwellings, eating establishments and even schools. A particularly lethal explosion occurred in Texas in 1982 and sadly was responsible for the death of six school children and a schoolteacher. The explosion took place because the institution had failed to make the necessary amount of safety checkups, the heater needed repair and subsequently failed to function properly.

Only one small part, known as the temperature and safety pressure valve, protects the average householder from very dangerous event. nearly all the time, when the pressure inside a domestic heater hits 165 degrees, the T & P valve kicks in and starts to do its job. As the internal temperature rises,water inside the tank starts to extend in volume. The subsequent pressure is dissipated in the form of steam and water , which is released from the temperature and safety pressure valve. Sadly, in spite of the implicit precariousness in inproper use of this valve, many DIY homeowners mistakenly believe the steam and hot water flowing out of this valve is the result of a inconsequential plumbing problem. Thinking they can facilely fix the difficulty, the baffled homeowner will either try and shut the valve off or worse, plug the valve and thus stop the leak. The results can be fatal.
There are some precautionary measures that homeowners can follow and avoid this terrible plumbing emergency.
1. If you, a homeowner, notice the temperature and pressure relief valve Releasing hot water and steam, do not make an effort to plug it yourself. Call a professional plumber and allow him to take care of the repair.
2. Inspect the valve, or have a Plumbing company Inspect it at least once a year.
3. Do not make an effort to conserve money by employing a handyman to fix your temperature and pressure relief valve. this mistake has been the cause of more than one heater explosion. Rather, make certain to use a licensed plumber to repair the valve.
4. Should your home own an older heater, inspect it to make certain it is equipped with a T& P valve, as not all older heaters have one. If your heater tank does not have a valve, hire a plumber to put one in.

These four precautionary procedures are easy to carry out, but they can save life and money. Because keep in mind that under the most trying of events, your hot water heater could take off like a missile, travel into and past each story of your dwelling, blast a hole in the roof, and land blocks away causing extremely large damage to a neighbor's mansion.

Do not let this happen to you. According to Byron Graham, a Baltimore Plumber with A-1 Plumbing of Baltimore, water heater explosions are among the most preventable plumbing emergencies. If you have any question about the repair of your hot water heater or the patency of your T & P valve call a plumber today.