APPLIANCES Water heaters add fire thwarter

The device shields the burner and pilot light, but prepare for extra cost.
By JURA KONCIUS
WASHINGTON POST
Consumers who have to replace their gas water heaters starting this month will get a little surprise at the checkout counter: a price increase of about one-third because of a new safety feature designed to save lives and property.
The innovation, called a flammable vapor ignition resistance (FVIR) device, was created to reduce the risk of fires and explosions by preventing accidental ignition of dangerous fumes.
After a decade of work by water heater manufacturers and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the technology quietly went into effect July 1.
How it works
The change -- the first major redesign of water heaters in decades, according to manufacturers -- is a combustion chamber that encloses the burner and pilot light on 30-, 40- and 50-gallon residential gas water heaters. This chamber is intended to prevent fires and explosions that might occur should flammable vapors be released in a room -- when for instance, someone fills a lawnmower gas tank, thins paint or cleans something with gasoline.
Like many people, Monte and Sue Blackwell were unaware of the danger posed by flammable fumes around water heaters. Three years ago, they pulled into their garage in Chesapeake, Va., after hitting a bump in the road on their way home from church that punctured their gasoline tank. As Sue Blackwell was getting out of the car, the pilot light on the gas water heater in their garage ignited the gasoline fumes and caused the heater to explode.
"It knocked me out, and something hit my husband in the back. A young neighbor boy heard the explosion and came to help us out, so fortunately we weren't hurt badly," said Sue Blackwell, 72.
"We didn't know what happened until the fire department explained it to us. We had never heard of anything like it."
The CPSC estimates that about 800 residential fires are caused by gas water heaters and flammable vapors each year, resulting in about five deaths and 130 injuries.
Voluntary effort
The manufacturers of gas water heaters, many of which had been faced with product liability lawsuits, formed a voluntary consortium to address the issue, realizing it was better to take action than to wait for federally mandated regulations. They worked with the CPSC to develop the technology now being incorporated into the designs of all major U.S. gas water heater manufacturers.
"After many years of work, this technological development can save many lives and a lot of people from awful burn injuries," said Scott Wolfson, CPSC public affairs officer.
David Martin is vice president of marketing for Rheem Water Heaters, the largest producer of gas water heaters in America. "Water heaters are a behind-the-scenes kind of appliance," he says. "As long as you have abundant hot water, you don't really think about your heater. We want that to continue, but we are trying to prevent some horrible accidents."
The safety devices, which will vary slightly on each manufacturer's model, will shield the burners and prevent flames from spreading outside the heater should a dangerous spill occur nearby.
The cost
The improvement comes at a cost to consumers. A 40-gallon tank that used to carry a price tag of about $150 will now cost about $200 to $220, according to retailers.
The new standard was approved by the American National Standards Institute. Although gas water heaters without the safety device that are already in the sales pipeline can still be sold, all models manufactured after July 1 will incorporate the change.
According to Frank Stanonik, chief technical adviser for the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association, this safety certification is voluntary, "but you can't do business on a large scale and not have that safety mark."
Gas water heater sales in the United States are just over $4 million a year, according to Stanonik, who says studies show the average life span of water heaters to be nine to 11 years, although some can last up to 20 years. Industry experts say about 55 percent of American homes have gas water heaters vs. electric.
The new devices won't change the look of water heaters, nor the way plumbers install them.
How they're selling
Lowe's stores have been selling Whirlpool Flame Lock gas water heaters made by American Water Heater Co. with the FVIR features for more than a year.
Although the units are more expensive, Lowe's executives say the Flame Lock models already account for one-third of total gas water heater sales.
After the remaining stock is sold, all the models will have FVIR. "Our customers don't know about the change yet," said Alan Herman, appliance sales specialist at the Lowe's in Laurel, Md. "They just have a leaky heater and want to replace it. But when we explain the safety features, many of them agree they don't want to risk an explosion."
According to industry statistics, 40 million to 50 million American homes currently have gas water heaters that do not incorporate the FVIR technology and that manufacturers say are safe. But consumers should not store gasoline, paint thinners or other flammable liquids near them. Gasoline, says Stanonik, should never be brought into the house to be used as a solvent or as a cleaning solution.