Water heater standard OKd

A new national safety standard calls for all 30-, 40- and 50-gallon gas storage-type water heaters manufactured after July 1, 2003, to be equipped with a flame arrestor.

The arrestor traps and burns gas vapors inside the heater, which keeps vapors from igniting in the room.

The new voluntary standard was developed by the manufacturers of water heating and space heating equipment in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Each year, the igniting of gas vapors, known as a flashback fire, is blamed in nearly 800 residential fires and an average of five deaths and 130 injuries, according to agency estimates.