Imagine it’s the weekend, and you are relaxing at your home with a chilled drink in your hand when suddenly there is water flooding everywhere and your ceiling starts to cave in. When you face such a problem where your hot water system bursts and starts to cause water logging in walls then you have to act quickly to lessen the further damage that might take place.
When you face a burst hot water system, the cause of it is not always definitive. The most common reason is due to thermostat malfunctioning which leads to an overheating of the water. This, in turn, raises the volume inside the water tank beyond what the seam could hold.
Problems Which Lead to a Burst Hot Water System
Only a plumber can determine the accurate reason for a burst hot water system. However, the below three issues are the common causes in most bursts.
#1. When there is a gradual accumulation of the sediments at the bottom of the tank of the water heater, the mineral layer actually insulates the water, which overheats the tank leading it to deteriorate. This issue can be easily identified when you hear a popping or a knocking noise coming from your water heater. It is the sound of the water trying to escape the layer of the sediment. It is imperative that the heater is flushed out as soon as you hear this noise, otherwise, this leads to bursts. Flush out the water tank in the heater regularly to avoid settlement of sediments. By doing this, you can easily avoid a burst hot water system.
#2. Your water tank is made out of steel which is an alloy of iron – this implies that it is prone to rust. In order to avoid rusting and corrosion, water tanks come with anode rods which act as an internal rust protection element. It is important to examine the expiry of the anode rod and replace it once a year.
#3. The prolonged and excessive use of water heater will raise the pressure levels. If the pressure builds beyond the designated levels, it will eventually burst. Also, they have temperature and pressure (T&P) valves. If there is a frequent leakage in this T&P valve, which is unchecked, bursts can happen after some period of time.
No matter what the cause is, you have to act quickly enough to mitigate the damage that arises from it. Here are steps to follow:
#1. Stop the Flow of The Water: The first and foremost step is to stop the supply of water. To carry out this, you have to first locate the pipe through which the cold water is supplied. This pipe is an extension of the main water pipe, which joins the top of the water heater. When it is in perfect condition and there is no sort of malfunction, the flow of the water stops when the tank becomes full. But now, due to the burst hot water system, the tank pushes all the water into the room making it overflow. Stop the cold-water supply line by turning off the valve.
#2. Shut Down the Power: When there is a burst hot water system in your house it is important that you turn off the gas and the other electric heating elements because if it continues to stay heated it can quite easily waste an enormous amount of energy. In some cases, spark a fire leading to the electrical fire which is difficult to put out. If the line is powered by a switch, it is best to turn it off, and if it is powered by gas, then you should shut down the gas line.
#3. Clean-up Any Valuables: Removing any valuable wooden furniture or other kinds of salvageable items when you have a burst hot water system is the right thing to do. You have to avoid as much damage as you can when the water has seeped onto the carpets and the floors. Dry the water as much as you can or use a dehumidifier to stop the growth of mold.
The burst of a hot water system does not happen in a newly bought equipment. But this becomes a common problem some years down the line. The above-stated information is meant to guide you to prevent a burst hot water system and how to deal with it in case it happens.
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About the Author
Alyssa Moylan
Guest Contributor
Alyssa Moylan is an ordinary woman from Australia, a writer by day and a reader by night. She writes on various topics like home improvement, business, lifestyle, health, travel, and fashion. She likes to think of ways on how to solve daily life problems of people.
