Susan Whitaker built a thriving business baking sourdough loaves. Her commercial kitchen smelled delicious every day until one March morning when a worker detected an acrid odor. Within minutes, faint curls of smoke appeared. The fire department quickly identified a surprise source – a burning water heater in the basement – and doused the flames before they spread.
“Small businesses extract maximum effort from owners and employees as they grow and meet demand,” says Adriana Young, Owner, Paul Davis Restoration of Central Dallas Fort Worth in Texas. “Money is often tight, too, so it’s all too easy to skip equipment maintenance and timely replacement. As this business found out, small oversights can cause big economic and logistical problems.
Water heaters are better known for unleashing indoor floods, but rogue fire-starting models are surprisingly common. A few years ago, for instance, a major manufacturer recalled hundreds of thousands of gas-fired water heaters because improperly shielded burners ignited flammable flooring.
It’s clear that small business owners should be on the lookout for dangerous units. They may heat more than water for a variety of reasons:
- Poor installation: Unskilled or DIY installers may fail to vent gas-fired units properly or tighten electrical connections. They may also neglect to anchor units securely on sound footings in safe locations, tighten fittings, test valves, search for leaks and assess operation prior to use. Further, each unit includes specific manufacturer’s instructions that must be followed.
- Poor placement: Setting the water heater appropriately is crucial. Good installations meet local building codes, have proper clearance around the units and are distant from flammable items like cleaning solutions, paints, solvents, gasoline, paper products, upholstery and flammable flooring.
- Improper connections: Gas line and electrical connections must be tight and appropriately sized. Further, the electrical system must safely carry the voltage required to power electrical units without overloading circuits.
- Missing safety features: Older models often lack built-in safety features that newer models include such as automatic shutoffs to prevent accidental overheating, flame arrestor plates and flammable vapor ignition resistant systems.
- Lack of maintenance: Water heaters are not “set it and forget it” systems. They require regular monitoring and maintenance to address conditions that can become hazardous: sediment build up, pinhole leak development, faulty heating elements, malfunctioning thermostats, corroded anode rods and loosened connections.
- Failure to replace: Water heaters have recommended lifespans. Most problems occur after a unit’s recommended replacement date has passed.
“A reliable water heater is about more than just supplying hot water on demand for your needs,” Young concludes, noting that water heaters cause thousands of structural fires every year. “With regular care, it provides safety, certainty, efficiency and peace of mind for your growing business.”
Call Paul Davis at 844-215-7898 for fast, professional help anytime, night or day, every day of the year. When things go wrong, we do what’s right.
