Can hot water tanks explode?

BettyBoop17

We’re in a privately rented house and haven’t had a gas safety certificate for ten years. We are scared to ask the landlord for a certificate in case he threatens us with eviction.
The landlord recently sent a boiler repair man to fix the hot water tank and he seemed like a complete cowboy. The problem has got worse since he’s been and the hot water is now scalding hot. Is there a chance the hot water tank could explode?

getmore4less

There should be safety devices in place to stop that happening.

Need more details on the type of system so you can check if they are working.

how is the water heated/gas and/or immersion?
Too hot first check is the thermostat(s) on the tank.

BettyBoop17

Thanks, the water is heated by gas, by the boiler and the hot water tank is in the airing cupboard

stator

Does the tank have a thermostat on it? You might have to move the jacket insulation out of the way, if it is wrapped in a jacket.
Would look something like this

FreeBear

BettyBoop17 wrote: »

We’re in a privately rented house and haven’t had a gas safety certificate for ten years. We are scared to ask the landlord for a certificate in case he threatens us with eviction.

Quoting from - https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/renting-a-property/information-for-tenants/

If you’re not in possession of a valid record for your current property, you can ask your landlord to provide this. If they fail to do so, you can report them to the HSE. Failure to follow gas safety requirements is a criminal offence and the HSE has the power to issue a formal caution and may prosecute your landlord.

The landlord can not evict you for asking for a legally required document - He would be at risk of further legal action if he did. You would also be able to claim compensation to boot. Might be worth your while contacting Shelter and getting some advice/help from them.

getmore4less

BettyBoop17 wrote: »

Thanks, the water is heated by gas, by the boiler and the hot water tank is in the airing cupboard

Assuming not a main pressure system

Typically safety device will be an open vent back into the header tank in the loft.

The hot water expands and gets dumped into the cold tank.
(in really bad cases the cold tank gets warm enough to come out of the cold taps warm)

As in picture above check the thermostat on the tank is set right, if you move the dial you can often here it click.

Another common problem is a mid position 3 port valve is sticking or actuator broken so when the heating is on the hot water get heated when it should not.

A little harder to diagnose than the thermostat

EachPenny

BettyBoop17 wrote: »

Thanks, the water is heated by gas, by the boiler and the hot water tank is in the airing cupboard

Are you sure there isn't an immersion heater as well? If left switched on (and badly adjusted/no thermostat) this could also cause the problems you describe.

It sounds like the repair man 'fixed' the problem by turning a thermostat up, or fiddled with something else.

southcoastrgi

A gas safety cert is a legal requirement which has to be done every 12/14 months, your LL can & will get in serious trouble for not getting one

rosie383

Please check the thermostat ASAP. We had a gas man out to do something with a Baxi fire. He didn't replace the thermostat probe.
Consequently the water in the water tank got boiling hot. Unbeknownst to us, the tank had been replaced at some stage with a plastic tank. This melted and the first we knew of it was when it started to deluge boiling hot water through the ceiling of my bedroom down through to the ground floor.
Luckily there was no one underneath at the time as both ceilings fell through.