How to Have Scald Protection

Are you aware that the hot water running in your home plumbing system can cause serious physical danger? Even adults who are aware that extremely hot water can burn the skin often fall prey to burns; what more for little children and even the elderly. Can you imagine being half asleep, walking into the shower, and being greeted by scalding water just because you failed to adjust the temperature properly? The good thing is that having scald protection for your shower and tub spouts is not as difficult as you may think.

Is it Too Hot?

It is very seldom that you would know the actual temperature of the water that would be coming out of your shower or faucet, right? And establishing if the water is too hot is really a matter of personal preference, correct? So when will we know if the hot water is already dangerously hot?

Unless you have extremely sensitive skin, the acceptable average water temperature is about 118 degrees. But are you aware that raising it simply 2 degrees higher will already be uncomfortable for most people? Washing your hands under 120 degrees of hot water will not give you a burn, but leaving it there under the constant stream for about 8 minutes will result in first degree burns.

The important thing to remember is that the higher the temperature of the water becomes, the shorter is the time needed to get burned. For example, you can get first degree burns if you shower in 130 degrees water temperature for 28 seconds, but, if the temperature rises to 140 degrees, it will take just 3 seconds; in 5 seconds you will get second degree burns.

So how can you protect yourself from being scalded?

Anti-Scald Protection Valve

Have you experienced taking a comfortable shower and then the temperature suddenly rises because someone turns of the faucet or flushes the toilet? So the dangers of accidentally getting burned is extremely real.

Luckily, you do not have to be part of the statistic of the 34 people dying and 3,800 being injured every year from extremely hot tap water. You just need to install anti-scald valves in your home; a must for older homes. These valves are placed in existing bathrooms without having to tear down walls.

In fact, an easier solution is to simply replace your current showerhead with a model that has a built-in scald protection valve. You do not even need a professional plumber to do this. Just unscrew the old showerhead or tub spout and attach the new fixture.

What does this do? It detects if the water is reaching unsafe temperature and automatically stops the water flow to almost a trickle. Once the temperature of the water cools down, the water flow is resumed. You can get this type of fixture for as low as $25. However, anti-scald protection valves are still preferred.

Other Features

What can you expect from installing these anti-scald protection devices? For one, if you use the anti-scald protection valve, you can be sure that you will be protected on most fixtures in your home. If you choose anti-scald fixtures, you have a wide variety of options to choose from in terms of styles and finishes.

There are also multiple head shower systems that can aim the spray water to your arms, legs, and body simultaneously. Make sure though that the finish you choose comes with long term guarantee. Whether you know it or not, your bathrooms can be filled with harmful chemical vapors that may damage the finish. Chrome is the best choice because it is rarely affected by harmful chemical vapors. So installing these protection fixtures in your home would not necessarily mean losing your chosen theme.

To find out more how you can be protected from accidents from your hot water supply, you can consult specialists like Scott English Plumbing, which has an extensive experience in water heaters and plumbing services.