You might have a ticking timebomb in your utility room. An improperly maintained water heater could explode and cause tremendous damage to your home. There are safety mechanisms on a water heater to prevent this but our Rowlett water heater repair team has seen them both fail on numerous occasions.
The thermostat and the T&P valve are the two fail safes in place to prevent the exploding water heater scenario. Exploding water heaters were headline news in the 1890s when there were several of them in just a few months time. They were all the result of the thermostat failing while it was in the heating position. This caused the water in the tank to continue to be heated until the water inside was boiling. The boiling water soon had enough pressure to break the welded seal of the steel tank and explode sending shrapnel and scalding water throughout the interior of the room.
These explosions led manufacturers to develop a safety feature that prevented a pressure build-up on the interior of the tank – the T&P (temperature and pressure) release valve. This valve opens when the pressure in the tank reaches a certain level. Heat and pressurized water trickle out of the open valve to stabilize the pressure inside of the tank.
T&P valves are a standard on every conventional water heater produced today. But that doesn't mean that explosions can't occur. If this valve gets stuck and the thermostat fails, a conventional water heater can still explode with the same catastrophic consequences. Our Rowlett water heater repair specialists check the function of this valve every time we do a routine maintenance. It is the most important check that we make because of the potentially deadly consequences that could come from the failure of this small piece.
While it is essential to check these two components, they are only part of our comprehensive water heater maintenance check. We also check the condition of the sacrificial anode, for sediment build up, for heater element scaling, for gas pressure valve leaks, for loose fittings and connections, for leaks in the tank body or at pipe joints and check the thermostat for proper function.
When you call our Rowlett plumbing team to schedule an inspection, you can be sure that you'll get one of the most experienced technicians in the area. When it comes to water heater repair, think about our Rowlett plumbers first!