DIY disaster – hot water system explosion rocks the suburbs!
The owner of this home has hopefully learnt his lesson with this near catastrophe. He admitted to making rectification works to his gas hot water system by removing the leaking pressure temperature relief (PTR) valve and replacing it with a standard tap fitting.
PTR valves are safety valves that all hot water services have to reduce pressure build up inside the tank. The removal of this valve allowed excess pressure to build up inside the hot water service, and with nowhere to go, caused it to explode. It blew out the back part of his house and the explosion was heard up to 2km away!
This chap may be facing criminal offences of conduct endangering persons and unsafe modifications to a Type A appliance, which is an offence under the Gas Safety Act 1997.
Thankfully, no one was hurt.
Sometimes it just ain’t worth doing it yourself to save a few dollars. Make sure you use a licensed plumber! Give us a call on 5261 2422 if you need assistance with your hot water system.