Anti-scald devices installed with the plumbing in your Corpus Christi, Texas, home help to prevent the second most common cause of all burn injuries — burns due to scalds. More than 35,000 children require emergency room treatment each year due to scalding and there are more than 100 deaths among all ages. It takes several minutes of exposure to cause a scald injury at a water temperature of 120 degrees. However, the danger rises exponentially as water temperature increases. At 140 degrees, severe scalding will occur in just three seconds.
Anti-scald devices installed in your household plumbing are engineered to intervene automatically and prevent the three most common causes of scalding.
Preventing Scalding
Pressure-balance anti-scald devices are the most common and least expensive. These devices eliminate the familiar syndrome where cold water pressure drops precipitously due to sudden demand elsewhere in the home — for example, someone flushing a toilet. A pressure-balance valve senses the loss of cold water and proportionally reduces the amount of hot water, as well, preventing sudden temperature spikes. If all cold water pressure ceases, the valve will cut off all hot water, as well.
Thermostatic mixing valves are installed in the water line just downstream from the water heater or at a single point-of-use such as a sink or shower and automatically meter a small amount of cold water into the flow of hot water. These devices incorporate a knob allowing the user to set a safe maximum temperature for water entering the entire home. Most valves include a stop that doesn’t permit settings above 120 degrees. Thermostatic mixing devices allow homeowners to maintain the water heater thermostat at a setting above 120 to reduce the incidence of bacteria growth inside the heater while keeping water temperatures in the house at safe levels.
Other Solutions
Combination devices include protection from pressure imbalances as well as a thermostatic mixing valve that allows pre-set maximum temperatures. A combination device offers the most comprehensive protection against all sources of scalding.
One of the most effective measures you can take to make it safe to use the taps in your home, is to enlist the services of a professional plumber. For more advice about adding anti-scald devices in your home contact Bodine-Scott Air Conditioning Co. at (361) 883-9900.
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