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Greetings!
At a recent home inspection, I encountered a scenario which immediately took me back to a very traumatic occasion which had occurred during my childhood. I wanted to share this with you to hopefully prevent a similar situation from occurring to one my customers or colleagues.
When I was nine years old, I lived in a third floor apartment with my mother and four other siblings. We all shared the one bathroom in the unit. I was just finishing taking a bath, when my younger sister came in to use the sink. As she was preparing to leave the bathroom, she yanked a towel off the shower curtain rod to dry her hands. When she did this it startled me, and I looked behind me to see what had occurred. While I was turning my head, my hand inadvertently turned the cold water off leaving only the hot water to dispense from the tub spout. I uttered a loud scream as hot water poured out of the spout onto my knee. The water was so hot that I instantly suffered 3rd degree burns above my knee as a result. I still bear the scars today of this incident many years ago. |
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WHAT'S HOT? | |
As an inspector, I now understand that the water temperature would have had to have been in excess of 150 degrees for this serious trauma to occur.
Studies from the Burn Foundation, (a non profit organization that works to prevent fire and burn injuries, and supports the four regional burn centers at area hospitals) show that hot water causes third degree burns...
...in 1 second @ 156º ...in 2 seconds @ 149º ...in 5 seconds @ 140º ...in 15 seconds @ 133º
I commonly test water temperature as part of my home inspections, and I often turn down water heater temperatures to prevent this type of incident from occurring in the homes I inspect. However, if you have had your water heater replaced or had someone work on your water heater, the temperature setting may have been changed. Be sure to take notice if the hot water temperature at faucets has suddenly increased, and check the thermostat setting on your water heater. |
| WATER SAFETY |  Here are some recommended safety tips to prevent accidental scalding in the home: - Before placing a young child into a bath or getting into the tub yourself, TEST THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER by moving your hand rapidly through the water for several seconds. The temperature should not exceed 100º F/39ºC. A child's delicate skin will burn more quickly than adults.
- Never leave a young child unattended in the bathroom or tub.
- Use extreme caution if bathing small children in the sink. Many sinks have single lever faucets that are easy for young children to turn on.
- As mentioned previously, adjust the thermostat of the water heater to 120º to 125º or less.
- Consider installing "anti-scald" devices on tub faucets and shower heads to prevent accidental scalds.
- If you or someone you know lives in an apartment, and there is a hot water concern, show the landlord this email and ask that the water heater temperature be lowered.
Hopefully, this message finds a client, customer, or one of your relatives before an incident like I experienced, happens to them. |
| HOT OFF THE PRESS! | 
We are excited to announce that our latest
comic is now in print!
Krome battles the Mold monster in "Spores of Trouble".
See this comic for yourself on either of our websites.
Or if you'd like to receive your own copy, just contact us, be sure to include your address, and we'll be glad to send one out to you. |
| AFFILIATE HIGHLIGHT | 
G and V Construction is not just a general contactor. They have specialized divisions focusing on concrete, masonry and hardscaping, along with, custom carpentry, kitchen/bathroom installation, and full home renovations.
In each newsletter we highlight one of our affiliate members. To see all of Armored's affiliates 'click here' |
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I hope this information is helpful, and encourage you to always feel free to call me for any questions that may arise during you or your family's homeownership.
Inspectfully,
Curtis S. Niles, Sr. CRI, NIT, CMI
President, Armored Home Inspections, LLC
www.armoredhomeinspections.com
You can also stay connected with us on our Facebook Page.
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