Scalding Prevention
What You Can Do To Keep Your Family Safe
What is scalding?
Burns can be caused by dry or wet heat. Dry heat would be from a fire or surface like a hot stove. Damp heat is from hot liquid or steam. Burns caused by wet heat are called scalds. Scalds happen quickly and can cause second and third-degree burns. Like burns caused by dry heat, large enough scalds can be fatal.
Who is at risk of scalding?
Scalds account for 20% of all burns in the United States. No one is immune to being scalded, but children make up most of the scald victims. 2,000 children a year are treated for scalds in the United States. 85% of these scalds occur in their homes. Infants, toddlers, and the elderly have thinner skin than older children and younger adults. More delicate skin is easier for heat to penetrate, leading to a worse burn than someone of a different age would get.
Most people know to be careful around boiling water (212 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) and freshly brewed coffee (195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit). Still, temperatures much lower than either of those can cause a scald. Liquid or steam at 140 degrees Fahrenheit will cause a severe scald in under three seconds. Most states have laws requiring anti-scald devices to be installed when buildings are built, but New York State does not.
What causes scalding?
A hot water surge is when the temperature of water you're using suddenly and drastically increases without being adjusted. Hot water surges can happen and cause scalding. Issues with your water heater can cause this in areas with hard water, like Monroe County, sediment from hard water deposits on the heating elements of water heaters. The heating elements will not work correctly with this sediment build-up covering them. Generally, your water heaters' heating elements will automatically turn off once a specific temperature is reached within the water heaters storage tank. Sediment build-up stops the heating elements from recognizing that the preset temperature has been reached. The water in the tank is continuously heated and comes out of your faucets and showers too hot to use safely. If your water heater's temperature and pressure relief valve fails, you will see a similar outcome. The temperature and pressure relief valve's purpose is to allow some water to drain from the storage tank if the temperature or pressure becomes too high. If this valve fails, it can no longer regulate the temperature or pressure within the water heater. The water heater can then burst or flood and produce hot water at an unsafe temperature.
Hot water surges can also be caused by failing the cartridge in your shower head or faucet. The cartridge is a piece within the faucet or shower head with holes regulating the water temperature and flow. A rubber O-ring inside the cartridge primarily prevents leaks from a faucet. Over time this ring dries out, and the cartridge needs to be replaced. In addition, hard water build-up will coat the holes in the cartridge, eventually blocking them completely. When this happens, the cartridge cannot do its job and fails. Water is no longer regulated, and you become at higher risk for scalding.
Accidents cause scaldings frequently. Scaldings caused by pulling hot liquid off tables and counters are especially common in children. Adults and children are scalded yearly by showers or sinks running too hot. Setting a faucet's temperature too high is an easy mistake. Most home water heaters are set to 140 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent bacterial growth in the storage tank. The actual temperature can vary by up to 20 degrees above the set temperature. As mentioned earlier, serious injuries happen within seconds of contact with water this hot.
How can scalding be prevented?
Plumbing concerns require a professional to intervene, but there are steps you can take to prevent accidents on your own. Never leave children unattended in the bathroom or kitchen. Faucets without a scald guard can reach dangerous temperatures. Keep all hot food and beverages out of reach of children. Scalds from pulling things down are among the leading causes of scalds in young children. Always check the temperature of bath and shower water before allowing a child in or using the water yourself. Safe bathing water for small children and babies is around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. One hundred twenty degrees Fahrenheit is safest for older children and adults. Thermometers intended for measuring the temperature of the water are available. Staying vigilant with your child around hot food, beverages, and surfaces helps minimize the risks of burns and scalds.
To prevent scalds caused by issues in your water heater, perform routine maintenance on your water heater. Different water heaters have additional maintenance requirements. Familiarize yourself with your water heater's specific maintenance needs. Maintenance includes flushing out sediment from hard water and testing the temperature and pressure valve. Traditional gas and electric water heaters should be serviced once or twice a year. Monroe County and other areas with hard water are at higher risk of water heater failure. Homes in these areas require water heater maintenance to be performed more frequently. Tankless water heaters can go longer without care and only need to be serviced every 18-24 months. You can find more information about water heater maintenance on our website.
While a technician is in your home for water heater maintenance, ask about our free whole home plumbing inspections. They will inspect all of your plumbing fixtures, including faucets and showers. Cartridges have a lifespan of roughly 15-20 years. Our technicians will see if they've come to the end of that lifespan or will be soon. Replace cartridges before they fail to prevent scalding from an old cartridge.
Pressure-balance and thermostatic mixing valves can be installed on fixtures to prevent dangerous temperatures from being reached. A thermostatic mixing valve allows water from specific fixtures to maintain a set temperature. How does this operate? Cold water flows into the mixing chamber and through coils immersed in hot water, heating the cold water. Water pressure from the flow of hot water opens a pathway inside the valve. Once the water reaches the desired temperature, the valve actuator automatically closes the cold water valve to prevent too much from flowing in and lowering the temperature. The exact mechanism is employed if too much hot water begins to flow to avoid scalds from happening. Thermostatic mixing valves keep water from a fixture at a set temperature and do not need to be held at your water heater's set temperature. This type of valve is more expensive than a pressure-balance valve but offers more control over the temperature of your water.
What happens when you flush the toilet while someone is in the shower? If your shower has a pressure-balance valve, nothing. The surge of hot water usually associated with flushing the toilet is caused by all of the cold water rushing away from the shower and to the toilet leaving your shower with scalding hot water. A sudden influx of hot water to another fixture has a similar result leading to a surge of cold water in your shower. A pressure-balance valve has a sliding spool behind the faucet to keep the ratio of hot and cold water ideal and prevent this. While the cold water is diverted to the other appliance or fixture being used, the hot water is also reduced to compensate for the loss of cold water. The volume of water increases and decreases with the temperature of the water. With a pressure-balance valve, your water can get as hot as your water heater will allow. A stopping mechanism goes under the faucet that prevents this if you choose to set it lower. Wherever you place the stopper is as high as the water volume and temperature will go. Pressure-balance valves are an excellent option for homes with several appliances going at once or children running the shower or tub by themselves.
Most modern faucets and showers have some anti-scald device in them. Before the year 2000, these devices weren't required by law or commonly used. They still aren't required by law in many places but have become relatively standard. If your faucet or shower was installed before you owned your home or before the early 2000s, look into replacing it with a newer fixture with an anti-scald device.
At Pride Plumbing, your safety is important to us. We want to keep your showers and faucets safe for the whole family to use. Call or request service online to have a certified technician help make your home safer from scalds.
