In small scale testing the mythbusters started with a small six gallon water heater and disabled all of its safety features under the theory of poor installation or neglect.
Hot water heater shooting through the roof.
As water heats up it expands with tremendous force enough to fracture the tank and launch the water heater through the roof seriously that does occasionally happen.
Phoenix a house in northeast phoenix was severely damaged early thursday by an exploding electric water heater which shot through the roof and landed on a street corner across from a school.
The temperature and pressure relief valve prevents this by opening if the tank pressure becomes too high.
Hot water is an essential part of everyday life.
While the water heater eventually ruptured it did not explode like a rocket.
A water heater can explode and shoot through the roof of a house like a rocket.