Re: Emergency Water Turn-Off?

["Matt" <mattmorgan64@xxxxxxx>]

Good question; I've often wondered that myself.

I do know that the cost of water heaters recently went up about 30%
because the gov't mandated that the pilot and flame be enclosed in the
hopes of preventing an explosion in the presense of flammable vapors.

But I don't know of any safeties on a water heater for an out of water
condition. Seems like to me the thermostat is going to call for heat in
an empty situation, and the burner will simply continue to run; I
suppose until someone notices or the bottom of the WH burns up, what
follows that I don't know.

On the other hand, I'd like to believe that there is either some sort
of safety built in to prevent this,  or a logical reason why it isn't
an issue. I don't recall of hearing any horror stories of water heater
burn up; but I have seen videos of water heaters shooting off like
rockets, before the PRV was standard issue; blowing through 2 or 3
floors and finally the roof, continuing their journey into the
sky......