Faucet Water Heaters
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Kitchen Cooking Appliances · CPSC Code 236
Down 63% over 5 years
The verdict
Faucet Water Heaters carry a danger score of 24/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 85 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 63% over the last five years.
- 24/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 85
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 8.5%
- end in hospital admission
- 55-64
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 236 - last data year 2023.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 24/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for faucet water heaters - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume85 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)8.5%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-63%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Faucet Water Heaters (CPSC product code 236, in the Kitchen Cooking Appliances category) generate an estimated 85 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 1,355 ER-treated injuries across the 19-year span from 2005 to 2023. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 24/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are declining by about 63% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2008 (236 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2017 (16 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for faucet water heaters is contusions, abr. to the face, accounting for approximately 174 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the hand (142 cases). The 55-64 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 303 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 8.5% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 21 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how faucet water heaters fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2023-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2023)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 137 | 13 | |
| 5-14 | 31 | 130 | |
| 15-24 | 60 | 15 | |
| 25-34 | 90 | 16 | |
| 35-44 | 186 | 86 | |
| 45-54 | 101 | 30 | |
| 55-64 | 249 | 54 | |
| 65-74 | 16 | 0 | |
| 75+ | 0 | 144 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Face | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Hand | Laceration | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| All Parts Body | Anoxia | |
| Hand | Burn, Scald | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Lower Trunk | Fracture | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Fracture | |
| Finger | Other | |
| Lower Arm | Burn, Scald | |
| Lower Trunk | Burn, Scald | |
| Face | Burns, Thermal | |
| Finger | Burns, Thermal |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
73 YOM BELIEVES 2 DAYS AGO WAS MAKING POTATO SALAD USING HOT WATER DISPENSER WHEN HE BURNED HIS LEFT INDEX FINGER. AFTERWARDS, HE PICKED UP A HOT SKILLET AND BURNED HIS LEFT INDEX FINGER AGAIN. DX: BURN OF FINGER OF LEFT HAND, OSTEOMYELITIS LEFT HAND
6YOF WAS GETTING HOT WATER FROM A WATER DISPENSER AND SPILLED IT ON HERSELF. LESS THAN 1% OF BODY SURFACE AREA DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF LEFT LOWER LEG
59YOM WAS LIFTING A WATER HEATER 8 DAYS AGO WHEN HE FELT A POP IN HIS BACK WITH PAIN. HE WAS SEEN AT A LOCAL CLINIC AND DIAGNOSED WITH A L1 COMPRESSION FRACTURE. DX: LUMBAR COMPRESSION FRACTURE
51 YOM FELL FORWARD IN BATHROOM HIT HEAD ON WATER HEATER AND CHEST ON SINK DX CHI, RIB FRACTURE
2 YOM REACHED UP AND PUSHED HOT WATER DISPENSER AFTER MOM & WAS BURNED BY HOT WATER.DX: 2% TBSA PT BURN R ARM.
13MOM WITH BURN TO RIGHT FOOT. PT WAS IN THE BATH TONIGHT WITH OLDER SISTER. PT WAS STANDING NEAR THE FAUCET. MOM HAD STEPPED OUT TO GET BUBBLES AND SISTER TURNED ON FAUCET. PT WAS WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT ON HIS OWN. DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF RIGHT FOOT. %
51 YOF DX PAIN IN R FINGER - PT C/O R 5TH DIGIT PAIN W/MILD SWELLINGSINCE A ABOUT A WEEK AFTER AGGRESSIVELY TRYING TO CLOSE WATER FAUCET.
44YOM WAS DRAINING HIS HOT WATER HEATER AND SUSTAINED A FINGER LACERATION ON THE METAL EDGE
22 YOM CONTUSION TO HEAD WHEN PUSHING WATER HEATER ON DOLLIE AND IT FELL HITTING HIS HEAD
30YM REPORTS CO DETECTOR WENT OFF THIS AM&PER EMS TRACE AMOUNT OF CO DETECTED AROUND HOT WATER HEATER C/O H/A>> CO POISONING/EXPO
51YF TAKING A SHOWER WHEN CO DETECTOR WENT OFF, FD REPORTS TRACE AMOUNTOF CO AROUND HOT WATER HEATER C/O HA&GEN. BODY PAIN>>CO POISONING
1MM BIB MOM FOR EVAL AFTER ODDSMELL WHEN HOT WATER HEATER TURNED ON>>R/O CO EXPO
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Primo hot/cold water dispenser Model #601292. Purchased at Sam's Club Oct 26, 2022. No option to return. Also, manufacture will not accept return or replace. Red child protect button sticks and hot water continues to flow causing burns to skin. Difficult to deactivate hot water button. Spoke to Primo customer support. Told to clean around button with a toothpick. That didn't do anything. I did repeatedly depress red button until I didn't feel the spring stick...that seems to be the fix. It's working now and not sticking.
2 years ago I purchased a In sinkerator instank hot water unit from Home Depot. Model # SST Serial # 06028884401. The other day, August 29th 2014, we noticed smoke in our kitchen just as we were getting ready to leave. After searching for the smoke we found the unit smoking under the sink. We unplugged the unit, shut the water source, cut the water lines and removed the unit outdoors. We put out the fire with the water hose. The unit got so hot it caught the insulation on fire that surrounds the unit. I called the Insinkerator customer help line, they never had a report of the happening and would not assist on replacing the unit or wanting the unit back. Very scary event for us and we were glad we were home to deal with the fire.
Our instant hot water dispenser appears to have shorted out leading to a melting of the insulation. This could be a fire hazard
Insinkerator hot water dispenser started leaking water under sink. Upon removal and disasasembly to see why it was leaking, discovered that a plastic water line from the tank to the top reservoir is routed on top of the tank half lip and surrounded by [REDACTED] insulation. The plastic water line melted from the heat of the metal tank lip and scorched the [REDACTED] but the melted line caused the water to leak and apparently prevented further fire damage. The water went all over the interior of the unit including the power connection & temperature setting thermostate and could result in a shock or short hazard. Upon contact with Insinkerator, they advised there were no safety recalls on the unit and claimed no design defects reported but that the plastic line has been replaced by a different material since my unit was made and the tank unit is essentially the same as my unit for all models. They did offer to send me a new unit and requested that I send mine back-all w/o any warranty period discussion. I believe there may still be a design defect in this product regardless of replacing the water line with a heat proof type and consumers should be aware and product be redesigned. My Model is Insinkerator Instant Hot Water Dispenser 'SST', SN 08038703807, 2/3 gal 115V, 6.5 Amp, 750 Watt
we went to use the dishwasher and it wouldn't turn on. we had smelled an unusual odor that smelled like garlic. when we opened the cabinet it was filled with water and the smell was unbearable. the dishwasher had shorted out because of the water leak and when we removed the tank it smelled like burnt plastic. how scary.
Text of Report submitted: Report Date: February 28, 2013 Our File Number: [REDACTED] To: Superior Adjustment Bureau Attention: [REDACTED] Carrier: Auto Owners-Clarkston Claim Number: [REDACTED]Insured: [REDACTED] Location of Loss: [REDACTED] Date of Loss: January 6, 2013 Type of loss: Fire Date Received: January 16, 2013 Date of Site Inspection: January 18, 2013 Date of non-destructive lab exam: January 21, 2013 Date of destructive lab exam: February 27, 2013 On January 18, 2013 our Company visited the loss site to collect artifacts related to the loss and examine the area of origin. During this site exam the insured provided us with (1) Emerson Insinkerator Hot Water Dispenser which had been removed from beneath the kitchen sink. According to the insured, the Manufacturer advised her to send the appliance back to the Manufacturer for inspection and requested that she not make an insurance claim. This appliance was packaged to be shipped when we received it. As we examined the area of origin we found the base cabinet damaged as a result of water leaking from the area around the Dispenser. The Insured indicated that she smelled something burning and discovered the Insta-hot appliance smoking and leaking into the base cabinet. At that time the Insured disabled the appliance. While examining the receptacle which supplied power to the Insta-hot, we did not find any signs of fire origin. In addition, we did not find any sign of electrical activity that could have contributed to the failure of this appliance. This appliance was taken back to our Farmington Hills Facility for a non-destructive lab exam. During this lab exam we found evidence of water leaking at a factory fitting. As a result water had collected at the bottom of the appliance and the metal enclosure had begun to oxidize/rust. As we researched known problems with Hot Water Dispensers, which included several recalls, we found a recall which is very similar to the problems we se
I purchased a Quick & Hot water dispenser from Costco. Model AH-780, Serial no. B-0G8-05736-3. The rubber hose attached between the faucet and hot water tank burst. The hot water dispenser is installed under the kitchen sink. The rubber hose burst and water damaged the kitchen cabinet. My greatest concern was Water was spraying at the electrical outlet socket. This may have cause a fire and electrical shock to anybody near the the sink. The rubber hose is defective and cannot handle the hot water. Should not use rubber hose for hot water. Not a very good idea. I called Waste Kind and Westbrass about this dangerous problem. No luck business as usual. In addition, I noticed individuals who own this product have the same problem. I need some answer?
The consumer says the unit started leaking. He noticed it when he got close to it he could hear water boiling on the inside. He would run more water to it and it would stop. His wife last week smelled something burning. The consumer says he tried to turn down the thermostat but that didn't work. The consumer says the dispenser is starting to arch from the inside and he feels it is a definite fire hazard. The consumer contacted the manufacturer on Friday, but he did not have his serial number at the time. He will call back. The consumer says that he does not feel it is safe to leave it plugged in. He does not use the product.
Showing 8 of 21 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to faucet water heaters on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are faucet water heaters?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, faucet water heaters have a danger score of 24/100 (low risk). An estimated 85 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from faucet water heaters?
The most common injury is contusions, abr. to the face, accounting for approximately 174 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from faucet water heaters increasing or decreasing?
Down 63% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for faucet water heaters injuries?
The 55-64 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 303 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by faucet water heaters?
Of all ER visits involving faucet water heaters, approximately 8.5% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (91.5%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with faucet water heaters?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Kitchen Cooking Appliances
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 24/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 55-64 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
