The recent tragic deaths of people from Nebraska and Iowa due to carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty gas water heaters prompted a call to MUD for advice about gas water heater safety.
Greg Woster, Field Service Training Foreman for MUD, says carbon monoxide comes from incomplete combustion – usually caused by dirty burners and plugged internal flues on the appliance.
Woster says all gas appliances should be checked regularly, and he shares some of the trouble indicators their service people look for when they inspect water heaters -- upon installation, for turn-on orders, or when a gas leak is suspected.
“What you can look for is corrosion or rust on the tank or on its vent. You might see burnt marks on the outside of the heater down by the burner compartment, or on top by the vent. And if you check the burner while it’s running, you might see yellow flames, not blue. Everything should be looking just like your gas stove – when you turn on the burners, you should have a nice blue flame. You might see yellow flames on it if the burners are dirty.”
Woster says a pilot light that needs to be relit frequently can also indicate a problem.
As far as carbon monoxide detectors, Woster recommends them -- no matter how new your appliances are. He stresses the importance of checking batteries and noting expiration dates, as detectors have sensors that expire.
Some of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include dizziness, flu-like symptoms, watery eyes and burning in the nose or throat. Woster stresses that if your carbon monoxide detector goes off, you should call 911 immediately and get out of the house.
For more information, the website is MUDomaha.com