Signs Your Water Heater Is Going to Explode in Winnipeg, MB

Your water heater works quietly in the background, producing the hot water you use while cooking, washing, or taking showers. It can go years without presenting any major issues.

Therefore, it can be worrying to find the system exhibiting signs which might suggest that something is wrong somewhere. One common fear most homeowners have is that of a water heater explosion. It rarely happens but it’s always a risk. So, what are the signs your water heater is going to explode?

King’s Services, the leading provider of expert water heater repair services in Winnipeg, MB, covers the signs you should watch for in this post.

Rotten Egg Smell

The explosion risk is high if you can perceive the smell of rotten eggs while using your water heater. That smell indicates a gas leak. Natural gas doesn’t have any smell, but gas providers are legally required to add mercaptan to it. The chemical causes the smell of sulfuric or rotten eggs. It makes it easier for gas appliance users to tell when there’s a leak.

If the leak goes on for too long, an explosion might follow as you use the water heater. Even before the explosion happens, your family is at risk of suffering carbon monoxide poisoning from inhaling the gas leak for too long.

Therefore, if you detect the rotten egg smell, immediately open up doors and windows, take your family outside, and call for help.

Leaks in the Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve

Water heaters feature a temperature and pressure relief valve. It helps release any excess pressure or heat in the tank, reducing the risk of an explosion.

If you find the valve leaking more than usual, it’s a sign of too much pressure or overheating in the tank. It may also suggest that you have a damaged valve. In any of those scenarios, you should call a water heater expert as soon as possible to repair the unit.

Brown or Discolored Water

Water discoloration is one of the clearest signs your water heater is going to explode.

Traditional water heaters feature metal tanks. After long periods of interacting with the minerals in water, the tank will start to rust and corrode. When it happens long enough, you’ll start to see discolored or brown water when you open any hot water faucet.

Rust and corrosion mean your tank has lost its structural integrity. Therefore, it will be more likely to leak, rupture, and explode under some pressure.

Visible Shaking and Rumbling

Have you noticed your water heater making strange noises in recent times? It might explode if you don’t call a plumber to inspect it soon. Water heaters shake and rumble when minerals like magnesium and calcium have accumulated at the bottom.

The sediment makes the water heater work harder when it’s trying to heat water. It can also cause overheating in the tank, causing the water to boil. The severe pressure fluctuations that follow the boiling increases the risk of explosion.

Also, for every day you use the water heater without addressing the sediment buildup, the tank loses a little bit more of its structural integrity. So, it’s only a matter of time before you’re dealing with a major issue — which might be an explosion.

Extreme Hot Water Temperature

The water coming out your taps being scalding hot is one of the clearest signs that your water heater might be overheating. Overheating occurs when you’ve set the temperatures too high or when you have a faulty thermostat. The extreme temperature raises the pressure in the tank, which can lead to an explosion at some point.

You can avoid temperature issues by making sure you set the thermostat to no more than the manufacturer’s recommended limits. The water heater in most homes in Winnipeg, MB, are best set to around 120°F to prevent overheating. If you don’t notice any changes to the water temperatures afterward, you should call in a plumber quickly.

Old Age

The age of the water heater is one factor you probably won’t consider when thinking about the signs your water heater is going to explode. However, these trusty units don’t last forever. Most water heaters have a lifespan of between 10 to 15 years.

As they age, there is a higher risk of critical failure. The water heater simply can’t take some of the demands placed on it as well as it did a few years ago. When you have an old water heater exhibiting some of the signs we’ve covered above, the risk of explosion increases exponentially.

Therefore, it’s always a good idea to consider replacing your water heater as quickly as possible as it nears the end of its lifespan.

Regular Pilot Light Outage

If you have a gas water heater, then you know that the pilot light is integral to its operation. If you notice that the pilot light keeps going out, you might have a malfunctioning gas valve. This makes using your water heater dangerous.

Maintenance Tips To Keep the Water Heater in Your Winnipeg, MB, Home From Exploding

If you’ve noticed any of the above signs your water heater is going to explode, you should call an experienced plumber to look over the unit as soon as possible. However, you don’t have to wait for the signs to take steps to prevent the explosion. Some of the things you can do include the following:

• Schedule inspections and maintenance work at least once per year
• Keep an eye on the temperature and pressure relief valve to keep it functioning properly
• Monitor the tank for leaks
• Always keep your thermostat at 120 degrees or lower to prevent overheating
• Install an expansion tank to better manage pressure fluctuations
• Install a gas leak detector

Get Professional Help From the Leading Plumbers in Winnipeg, MB

Have you noticed signs your water heater is going to explode? Have you found yourself asking, “How do I know if my water heater is broken?” Our experienced crew can provide all the solutions and answers you need.

Call King’s Services in Winnipeg, MB, today at 204-633-9010 to schedule a consultation and learn more.