Your water heater in Portland OR helps you complete everyday tasks—washing dishes, cleaning laundry, and taking showers—with much more convenience than ever before. If you take a moment to consider how often you use hot water in your home, you may come to realize that your water heater has become a very necessary fixture in your life. However, without the proper maintenance and care, water heaters can pose some serious risks to your person and your property if they are the cause of a fire. Here are some tips to help you reduce the risk of a fire.
First, be careful not to store anything too close to your water heater in Portland OR. In many homes, water heaters occupy tempting closet space that can make you want to use the extra room for boxes, luggage, or cleaning supplies, but storing these items near your water heater could be a fire in the making, especially if they get pushed up against the pilot light while you are rummaging around for seldom used items. Resist this dangerous temptation and find another spot to store your stuff. Risking a household fire is rarely worth the extra storage space.
For homes that have water heaters in the garage, make sure that they are high enough off the ground to avoid any contact with gasoline or oil. The gasoline and oil in your car can be highly flammable, so leaks close to your water heater can be extremely dangerous without the proper precautions. Be extra careful when working on your vehicle, and avoid parking too close to the water heater if you can. If you have to work with flammable materials near your water heater, put out the pilot light just to be safe.
A water heater in Portland OR that is not regularly inspected may also pose a major fire hazard. Pressure buildup in valves or pent-up steam, if left unchecked, could cause an explosion. In some cases, these kinds of explosions have led to the destruction on entire homes and structures. A pressure check from a professional plumber can alert you to this kind of problem and may allow you to get it taken care of before tragedy strikes. In areas subject to seismic events, you may also want to a have special valve installed that will allow you to shut off the gas flow to your water heater in the case of an earthquake. This kind of valve is usually fairly simple to install and can be done quickly by many professionals, so it’s a safety feature worth having.
Keep your home and your loved ones safe—learn more about safety and your water heater in Portland OR. Schedule a pressure check for your water heater in Portland OR today!