Hot water heaters pose two dangers that are responsible for numerous burn injuries every year – fires and hot water scalding. In the United States, 316 injuries and 17 deaths per year are attributable to fires involving gas water heaters and nearly two thirds of burn-related hospitalizations of children under the age of four is due to scalding.
Gas water heaters are often located in a utility room or in the garage. If gasoline or other combustible material is spilled near the water heater, the likelihood of a fire is extremely high. The potential for fire exists even without such a spill, and can be greater in the event of a spill if the water heater is defective.
If you suspect you own a defective water heater, you should contact the manufacturer and the store where you bought the water heater. If they do not address your concerns in a satisfactory manner, you should contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). And even if you do not suspect a problem, it may be prudent to review product recalls on the web.
With regard to hot water scalding, it is of interest to note that of all hot liquid burns, hot water burns cause the most deaths and hospitalizations. Tap water burns are primarily responsible. Elderly people and children who fall and are unable to shut off the hot water are particularly vulnerable to scald burns in bathtubs and showers.
The severity of a tap water burn depends on the water temperature, the length of exposure, and the age of the person injured. A one second exposure to 160° F water can result in third degree burns. The same is true of a half-minute exposure at 130° F. That is why the CPSC recommends setting your water heater’s maximum temperature to 120° F.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment