The most important dangers of electric heaters

The dangers of electric heaters are a topic that worries many people, especially since most homes now use electric heaters and most people keep the water hot for bathing.

Electric heaters are one of the most commonly used electrical appliances in the winter. However, excessive use of the heater without awareness can pose significant risks. Most people shower with the heater on, which is dangerous. In this article, we will review all the details related to the dangers of electric heaters and how to be careful with them.

The most important dangers of electric heaters

Most homes use electric water heaters to heat water for bathing or washing dishes in the cold winter. Unfortunately, electric heaters can cause dangers that may lead to death. Among the dangers that electric heaters can cause are:

A fault or damage to the thermostat, which disconnects the electrical current when the water reaches a high temperature, may lead to an explosion. This is due to the temperature rising inside the heater without the regulator disconnecting the current. This causes the water to evaporate and the pressure to rise, ultimately causing an explosion.
Another danger of an electric heater is the explosion that occurs as a result of the water being cut off. The lack of water reaching the heater, along with the continued rise in temperature to boiling point, leads to the evaporation of the water and the creation of tremendous pressure inside the heater, which ultimately leads to the explosion of the heater and an electrical short circuit, leading to death.
Negligence in technical matters related to the electric heater, such as sticking the electrical wires together, and also leaving the electrical wires exposed to moisture and water, which caused an electrical short circuit, and my negligence caused an electric shock.
Electrical short circuit and explosion are the most dangerous risks of electric heaters, as both can lead to accidents and certain death for electric heater users.

How to beware of the dangers of electric heaters

There are several things to consider when using an electric heater in every home, including:

The electric heater must be cleaned periodically because leaving water in the heater tank for a long time causes salt deposits and rust formation, which leads to damage to the electric heater. To clean the electric heater, the water must be drained from the heater every 30 to 60 days throughout the year by opening the drain valve on the lower side of the tank and letting the water flow out until it is cleaned.
If the heater's thermostat is confirmed to be damaged, it must be replaced as soon as possible to avoid the dangers of electric heaters and the risks they cause.
If the heating element in the electric heater is found to be faulty, it must be replaced immediately. This can be done by first emptying the heater of water, then removing the thermostat, loosening the nut securing the element, and installing the new heating element carefully after disconnecting the power supply.
To avoid the dangers of electric heaters, it is necessary to operate the bathroom exhaust fan while showering to release carbon dioxide and prevent the person from experiencing shortness of breath.
Electric heaters must be checked and maintained periodically to ensure their safety. This must be done by technicians and specialists in this field.
The heater should not be operated without a chimney until the gas produced by the combustion of the fuel is expelled.
It is necessary to turn off the heater before showering and not to shower while it is on, as this is very dangerous.

Should the electricity be disconnected from the electric heater?

There are great risks while using a water heater without disconnecting the electricity from it, so we warn of the risks that the heater may cause while showering while it is running, as operating the water heater while showering depends on the components and devices in the heater device that heat the water, such as the heating element, thermostat, and safety devices. The heater heats the water using the heating element that operates with electricity, which leads to providing hot water. Here we recommend disconnecting the electricity from the water heater while showering for the following reasons:

First, disconnecting the heater while showering ensures your safety and the safety of those in the house. This may prevent the risk of electric shock if any problems or malfunctions occur in the electric heater wiring.
Unplugging the heater while showering helps prevent the heat or safety devices from malfunctioning. Unplugging the heater while showering also reduces the risk of damage to the heater and ensures safe use of the device.
Disconnecting electricity in general, especially the electric heater, while showering avoids the risk of the heater exploding, God forbid, while showering, which could lead to immediate death as a result of the explosion and electrical short circuit.
A potential consequence of not unplugging your electric heater while showering is electric shock if electrical parts such as exposed shower wires come into contact with the water, which can result in serious injury, burns, or death.
Disconnecting the electric heater from the power while showering is an important recommendation to ensure your personal safety and avoid the serious risks caused by not disconnecting the heater from the power, such as electric shock or the heater exploding, which can lead to a fire and serious damage.

Electric heater operating time

Operating an electric heater for bathing or other purposes requires us to know the operating time of the electric heater to avoid the risks that may arise from a lack of awareness of the operating time. To answer this question, we say that the time required to operate an electric heater varies from one heater to another, depending on the type, size, and shape of the heater and the type of fuel or energy source used in the heater.

An electric water heater relies on a heating element that heats the water when electricity reaches it. The flow of electricity to the heating element is controlled by a thermostat. When the heat reaches the heater, the thermostat automatically disconnects the electricity from the heating element. Therefore, the electric heater must be operated for a sufficient period of time to obtain hot water, meaning an average of one to one and a half hours until it heats up. This is expected to avoid any risks and to ensure your safety.

The best way to operate an electric heater

To make the best and most efficient use of your electric heater, protect people from the dangers of electric heaters, and also reduce your monthly electricity bill, follow the following methods:

First, the thermostat must be set to a suitable temperature between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius, because setting the electric heater at a high temperature reduces its lifespan and increases the monthly electricity bill.
One of the most important ways to ensure optimal use of an electric heater and protect people is to turn it on before showering or about half an hour before you need hot water, then turn it off.
It is preferable to purchase a high-quality, highly efficient, and energy-saving electric heater and to follow the instructions that come with it.
Clean the heater by emptying the water inside it every 3-6 months of the year to remove all impurities that may cause heat transfer and reduce the heater's efficiency.
One of the most important steps to take into account when using a water heater optimally is not to run it continuously throughout the day, as this could cause the temperature to drop suddenly and cause an explosion, God forbid.

Electric heater accidents

An electric heater is one of the electrical appliances that helps you avoid the cold weather in winter. Despite its many modern advantages, it can cause major risks, including:

Wiring errors and neglect to address this problem can lead to electric shock and death.
Water leakage from the heater tank due to corrosion and rust in the heater body helps water reach exposed parts in the wiring, which leads to a fire.
A blocked or damaged safety valve may allow water and steam to leak, leading to an explosion. This is because the thermostat is set too high and the heater wall cannot handle the resulting excess heat.
If there is corrosion and rust in the internal heating element of an electric heater, it will cause water to leak from the heater to the electrical parts, causing an electric shock.
Failure to perform periodic maintenance and replace the furnace for many years may result in a fire caused by an internal explosion.

Gas water heater hazards

Using a gas water heater in a special way in winter may lead to great risks and may increase the number of deaths in cold weather due to the incorrect use of the gas heater. Gas heaters may consume oxygen to generate heat in order to heat the water in the absence of ventilation and ventilation fans inside the bathroom. This may lead to the complete consumption of oxygen, making the person lose his breath and susceptible to fainting. The risks of the gas heater also include the following:

According to many doctors, gas heaters can cause the elderly and people with respiratory diseases to suffer from epileptic seizures due to poor ventilation in the bathroom and the inhalation of carbon monoxide gas.
Using a gas heater can cause some serious risks such as low oxygen levels in the enclosed space, which can lead to death.
Home poisonings can occur due to carbon monoxide gas being released into the bathroom due to the use of a gas heater without ventilation fans or due to the air vent being closed while showering.
Poison centers worldwide have warned against using gas heaters, especially in unventilated areas, because they can cause inhalation of carbon monoxide, a gas known as the silent killer because it is odorless and colorless. It can cause fainting, especially if there is no ventilation in the bathroom while showering, leading to immediate death.

At the end of the article, we learned about the dangers of electric heaters and how to prevent them, electric heater accidents, the duration of electric heater operation, and we also learned about the dangers of gas water heaters. We hope we have been helpful to you.