Parents with newborns often baby-proof the house by taking care of cabinets and sharp edges, but they may miss the threat their water heater poses. According to the Burn Foundation, scalds are most often the reason for burn injuries occurring to toddlers who are 4 years or younger. Scalds can cause third degree burns in under 15 seconds, and as quickly as one second, the source explained. One way to minimize exposure to this hazard is to switch to a tankless water heater.
Feel relief knowing your children are safe
The Burn Foundation pointed out that most scalds occur when parents are distracted – either through the toll their work has taken on them, or irritation over things out of their control. Installing a tankless water heater can quell concerns that a careless mistake could potentially cause a serious or fatal injury.
"5 seconds of exposure to 140 degree water can cause third degree burns."
Electric tankless water heaters come with a thermo optical sensor installed, which not only assures that does the water stay at a safe temperature, but also that children won't get burned at the faucet because of a spike in temperature. As the Burn Foundation observed, it only take one second of exposure to 156 degrees Fahrenheit water to cause a third degree burn. That's not even enough time to react. While reaching 156 degrees may be rare, 140 degrees is only 20 points above the normal temperature for sinks. Five seconds of contact with 140 degree water can also cause third degree burns.
Water can be damaging
By forgoing the traditional storage water heater, parents are also denying of the possibility of water contamination. Storage water heaters can suffer from a number of unfortunate consequences. The products invite standing water by design, and can develop bacteria over time while dispersing it into a water system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Standing water also creates rust, which can spawn a new hazard – rusty edges. It only takes one mistake to need a tetanus shot.
Rust can damage the base or piping of a storage water heater. A cold winter could cause an already damaged pipe to burst, or a small tremor in the ground could spring a weak water heater from its foundation. If your water heater is in an area where children play, like a finished basement, it could spell a potential disaster.
The versatility of a tankless water heater grants homeowners the peace of mind to put these thoughts of personal injury behind them. It can be placed practically anywhere in the home. This also allows it to serve as a point-of-use water heater, meaning it can provide a boost of hot water to places like the dishwasher or sink, thereby limiting the strain on all of the heaters in the house. Replacing a large, potential risk with a product that you barely notice, and one that provides a visible benefit, is a no brainer.