Preventive Treatment for Clogged Sewer Lines
January 13, 2016Water Heater Safety Tips
Know Where your Water Cutoff Valve is Located
Know where main cold water cut off value is for your home. This is an additional valve that you should be able to access without the city’s assistance. If you don’t have this extra cutoff valve call us to day to have this installed. This is critical in case of emergencies. You may not be able to access the main cutoff value the city maintains (under the large covers that are hard to remove). Make sure this valve is a solid brass, ball-style valve (shown below) and is easily accessible. Make sure adults in the home now where it is located. Even showing an older teenager in the household where the cut-off value is located is a good idea in case of emergencies. These are typically located in an outside flower bed near the front of the home or near the main water line buried in the ground with a small covering that is easily removed.
Check for Drain Pans
Make sure your water heater sits in a drain pan. Water heater located in upstairs attic needs to be installed with a pan that has draining pipes in case of leakage. Most city codes require each water heater sits in a seperate drain pan. These should be kept clear of debris, trash or insulation and periodically tested by a licensed plumber. These pans and drainage pipes will not necessarily help when a water heater fails completely which is the case the majority of the time. Therefore we recommend installation of life saving detection devices (WAGS - see below) to detect any water leakage and/or malfunction of the water heater.Install Water And Gas Safety Valves (WAGS Valves)
The Water and Gas Safety Valve, known as the WAGS valve, is created to cut off the water supply (as well as the gas supply in gas-fired heaters) in case of a water heater leak. The primary goal of a WAGS valve is reduce water damage and stop a possible gas leak. WAGS valves will work on most models of water heaters and do not require a separate power supply.The WAGS valve sits inside the drain pan under the unit and is activated when the water level exceeds ¾”. After the water and gas supply are shut off a red tag pops up to indicate its activation. Water heaters will fail eventually and a WAGS unit gives you the peace of mind that water damage will be limited and a failure due to a gas problem will be reduced. P&P Plumbing can install both a WAGS valve and drain pan to help protect your home from a property-damaging water heater flooding.
