Water Heater Safety: Is Your Water Heater up to Code?
Plumbing codes are in place to protect homeowners from dangerous situations such as fire, explosions, and leaks.
If you’ve recently purchased a new home or are considering buying a new water heater, here are a few guidelines that you need to be aware of to ensure your water heater is safe to operate.
- Water heaters must have a safety pan underneath them. If the water heater is located in a closet inside the home, a boiler drain would be attached to the pan and a hose connected for drainage.
- Water heaters located in garages or areas exposed to combustible gases must be elevated.
- Gas water heaters need a minimum clearance between the vent pipe and combustible materials and have adequate air circulation.
- Gas valves shall be located where they can be easily accessed.
- All water heaters must be equipped with a temperature/pressure relief valve and allow the water to be piped out of the home where it will be visible to the homeowner to alert them of a problem.
These are just a few of the safety guidelines that are mandated by state code to ensure your water heater is safe to use.
It’s always best to have it professionally inspected to ensure your family’s safety.
Need a water heater inspection? We’re ready to help at Agentis.
