Do You Know the Water Heater Dos and Don’ts? Learn How to Stay Safe
With so many wildfires in California this year, homeowners and business owners are taking every step possible to reduce the chance of fire. What many don’t know is that hundreds of home fires start each year because of water heaters. This isn’t because water heaters are dangerous, it’s because many people don’t know about the maintenance that must be done.
Read on to learn how to ensure your home is as safe as possible from fires caused by water heaters. If you’re in need of maintenance, or a new residential or commercial water heater, please reach out to The Stanley Louis Company.
Your water heater should be checked each year
It’s common for people to not pay any attention to their water heater until it’s leaking or stops working. However, having the pros over once a year to check for issues can prevent breakdowns in the future. It could also reveal issues like small gas leaks that often aren’t found until they present a serious fire hazard.
Don’t store flammable things near your water heater
We cannot stress this enough. If you have flammable liquids, oily rags, paint, or gas cans, keep them far away from your water heater. The Rocky Fire that many Californians have heard in was caused partially by flammable liquids stored very close to a water heater.
Make sure you know how to turn your water heater off
There are many reasons you should know how to turn your water heater off, including fire prevention. If you smell gas or find out that your water heater is leaking, you can shut it off as quickly as possible. If you need help learning how to shut it off, ask your technician to show you when The Stanley Louis Company comes out for a maintenance check.
Keep debris away from your water heater
Your water heater needs breathing room. It needs plenty of ventilation so that the pilot assembly is able to burn properly. If you have debris around it, or clutter stacked around it, then it could not work correctly and could subsequently become a fire hazard.
Ensure property ventilated
It’s common for a water heater to be in the garage, which means that it’s likely you’ll have flammable materials near it at some point. Whether it’s the day you’re filling your lawn mower with gas, or the day you bring home to paint or varnish, make sure that your garage is well ventilated so that the fumes won’t come together to combust and create a fire.
Water heaters, if maintained and kept away from flammable materials, are safe. However, at The Stanley Louis Company we can’t stress enough how important it is to keep up on your maintenance. We are an experienced boiler, water heater, and solar service company who can help with any stage of your water heater needs. Whether you need advice on the right unit to buy, repairs for the one you have, or maintenance on your current model, we can help. Call us today at 800-217-6527 to get started.
