An often overlooked item in your home’s infrastructure is the water heater. Most people don’t think a lot about their water heater until they turn the tap and are surprised with water that is less than hot. Water heaters are just like many other major home appliances, they need a little attention to get their maximum life and performance. Read More
As the holiday season nears, thoughts turn to wonderful home-cooked meals with family. Few things in life are more pleasurable than a traditional holiday turkey feast. Yet for an unfortunate few, holiday meal time can turn tragic if a turkey frying accident occurs. While fried turkeys may be tasty, many fire safety experts feel that the reward is not worth the risk. Read More
Many losses stem from a failure of a household appliance (i.e. dishwasher, water heater), plumbing component (supply lines and fittings), or HVAC system. For over 25 years, Warren experts have utilized their diverse and highly specialized education, training and experience to investigate these types of losses.
Warren conducts product failure investigations at our laboratory, where we evaluate and test items sent to us from across the United States. All testing and reporting is done by experienced and licensed professional engineers. We have the facilities to provide for examinations ranging from a non-destructive examination of a single component to large multiple-party destructive examinations of complex systems. When needed, we provide a written protocol for complex or destructive examinations. Read More
In my last blog, we discussed the small PRVs that go on wet sprinkler systems to limit their pressure below 175 psi. That brought to mind a small PRV in another application that is used to keep something different cool: an electric motor-driven centrifugal fire pump. I can’t talk about electric fire pumps without also talking about diesel fire pumps, so let’s dive in and take a look at both! Read More
Ah, summertime. Summer’s heat brings some good things: opportunities for outdoor swimming and seasonal produce: blueberries, and peaches, and watermelon…
Summer’s heat doesn’t bring all good things. It can even trigger issues with fire sprinkler systems. Let’s zoom in on a small component on a wet fire sprinkler system that’s there in part because of summer heating: a pressure relief valve.
A pressure relief valve (or an auxiliary air reservoir) is required on wet sprinkler systems; one reason is to Read More
An afternoon summer rain shower led to an elderly woman’s admittance to the hospital. Mrs. Jones, aged 68, entered a retail store to buy groceries for her visiting family. Mrs. Jones walked through the store’s vestibule toward the entrance where she slipped and fell, sustaining significant injuries. An investigation was conducted to determine the cause of the slip and fall incident.
The investigation revealed Read More
Statistics predict that about half grill owners will be firing them up this upcoming Memorial Day weekend [i]. Let’s look over a propane grill, as if we had just pulled it out for the grilling season, for some tips and red flags. Not beef tips or how to get the perfect sear on your steak – safety tips! Besides hot surfaces, a gas grill serves up hazards related to flammable gases: fires, explosions, and flash fires. Read More
I’ve heard some people say that the term steam explosion is a malaprop because explosions involve combustion. However, if you look up the definition of explosion, you get this: “a large-scale, rapid, or spectacular expansion or bursting out or forth.” (Thanks, Meriam-Webster!!) If you’ve ever witnessed a steam explosion, you’ll agree that it is a MOST appropriate term!
Steam explosions occur when water or other liquid undergoes a sudden phase change Read More
“Was a dark stormy night as the train rattled on…” Anybody? 1985? Scarecrow? Come on… this was when Cougar was still a Mellencamp! Ok… it was called Grandma’s Theme… you’ll have to look that one up… but as I sat down to write this blog on the environment, that song kept running though my head. If you look it up, it will have a similar effect… just a little warning.
In our last installment of the 9-Cell Collision Matrix let’s travel down the wet, slippery slope of environmental factors that can contribute to car crashes, and maybe take a closer look at the things around us, at or near our crash scene that may reveal some important clues. Read More
Falls were the number one cause of preventable non-fatal injuries and the number two cause of preventable deaths in the US in 2019 (CDC and NEISS data). Slip and falls occur when there is an unexpected loss of traction between a person’s foot and the walking surface. Slip and falls are common and can occur in any setting where people walk, including homes, workplaces, and public areas. Slip and falls can result in serious injuries, particularly for older adults.
The human gait cycle consists of four phases: Read More
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