Why is a leaning water heater a safety problem? Think about it for a second: you have a large standing tank with water heating up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Imagine that your leaning water heater becomes tilted, slowly moving toward the floor, so most of the water is at the bottom. Would your heating system still function as intended? Let’s find out more!

Why Is A Leaning Water Heater A Safety Problem?

Lately, there have been a lot of reports of leaning water heaters being a safety hazard. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), “Leaning water heaters are the leading cause of residential fires and injuries in the United States.” In fact, NFPA estimates that these types of accidents cause over $100 million in property damage each year. 

When a water heater begins to lean out of the plumbing, it will tug on the pipes attached to it at the top, along with the flue connector for gas or electric water heaters. A whole 40-gallon water heater is 500 pounds at its heaviest, making any lateral pressure placed on those connections hazardous. The pipes will eventually fracture from the pressure and cause a flood. 

If you’re planning to buy or install a leaning water heater, take into account the risks involved and follow all the safety guidelines your manufacturer provides.

 

Causes of Tilted Tanks

If you’re noticing that your water heater is leaning, there are two leading causes. 

The first is that the platform had water damage and is no longer as strong as it was. This can happen if you have an older water heater that’s been through a lot of use or if you replaced your old water heater with a bigger one. 

The second cause is when a larger water heater is put on a platform built for a smaller one. This can cause the platform to become weak and unstable. If this happens, your water heater may start to lean.

Potential Dangers of LWH

Knowing the potential dangers of a leaning water heater is essential to avoiding accidents. A tilted tank can lead to a lot of dangerous consequences, including:

Flooding from burst pipes

Gas leaks, which can be deadly

Fire if leaking gas ignites

Slip and fall injuries if the tank leaks slowly

 

How to Avoid a Tilted Water Tank

  • Make sure your water heater is level before you install it

If it’s not level, the tank may tilt in the direction of the imbalance.

  • Don’t overload your water heater

Overloading can cause the tank to tilt in the opposite direction and increase the risk of pipe erosion and flooding.

  • Get a professional to install it

Professional plumbers are trained to follow safety guidelines that will keep you and your home safe.

Ready To Work With An Experienced Team? Call Custom Plumbing Of Arizona Today!

Why is a leaning water heater a safety problem? If you have a water heater with a tilted tank, it’s important to know that there is a potential danger. Contact Custom Plumbing of Arizona at  602-883-2761 if you need help installing your tilting water heater correctly.

Posted on Categories Plumbing Service & Repair Phoenix AZ, Commercial Plumbing Service, Water Heater, Water TreatmentTags , Leave a comment on Leaning Water Heater: Is a Tilted Tank Dangerous?

One of the most important appliances in any household is the hot water heater. Every day we use them for taking showers, washing dishes, washing our hands, and many other activities that would be much more inconvenient to deal with if the heater didn’t work. That’s why we here at Custom Plumbing, hot water heaters Phoenix, AZ work our hardest to provide you with the maintenance and repair that you deserve when you’re in need of assistance. When your heater isn’t working properly and you don’t have access to hot water, CCP in Phoenix, AZ will be there with our emergency plumbing service to help you resolve the issue. We’ll you the assistance you need to make sure that you are thoroughly satisfied with how we help you restore your hot water supply. In this article we’ll go over the options you may choose through CCP.

Water Heater Repairs

Sometimes, when your hot water heater is working properly or is leaking, the issue can be resolved simply by having the water heater repair experts at Custom Plumbing come and do the repairs. For an affordable price, you’ll receive the quality repair work that your leaking or malfunctioning hot water heater needs to work like it should. We here at CCP in Phoenix. AZ has the experience needed to work with every kind of water heaters such as gas water heaters, electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. If your water heater is leaking or is malfunctioning, don’t hesitate to call the water heater repair experts at Custom Plumbing in Phoenix, AZ.

Water Heater Installation

After twelve years of use, your hot water heater will begin to breakdown and malfunction. Once this begins to happen, it’s heavily recommended that you replace the old water heater with a new one. That’s why you should call Custom Plumbing to do the hot water heater installation. We’ll give you the guidance you need to make a decision on what type of water heater you would install in your home to replace the old one.

At CCP in Phoenix, AZ we install water heaters of all kinds such as:

  •    Gas water heaters
  •    Electric water heaters
  •    Tankless water heaters/Instant water heaters

Once you have chosen a hot water heater that you would like installed, Custom Plumbing, hot water heaters Phoenix, AZ will be there to install and provide you with hot water that same day. Call CCP in Phoenix, AZ today to get hot water heater installation service that will be best for you.

Posted on Categories Blog, Boiler RepairTags