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Bettesworth Construction
Home Safety

Hamersley Family Warns of Solar Hot-Water Discharge After Dog Ollie’s Death

After a Perth family’s poodle died in a reported solar hot-water discharge incident, here’s what the guidance says about the hazard and checking your system safely.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 3 min read
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A Perth family says their 13-year-old poodle, Ollie, died after a solar hot-water system discharged scalding water into their backyard. The incident is a warning to identify where a system releases hot water and have its discharge arrangement checked—not evidence that every solar hot-water system has the same fault.

What happened to Ollie?

PerthNow/7NEWS reported on 17 February 2024 that Ollie was outside eating when water from a solar hot-water system streamed into the backyard. According to the family’s account in the report, he suffered third-degree burns to 80 percent of his body. His family took him to a veterinarian, but he could not be saved.

Christa Hauck, the owner’s daughter, said her mother had rescued Ollie two years earlier and that he was “her everything.” The family said they wanted other people to understand the danger and raised the question of what might happen if a child or toddler were near the outlet. PerthNow/7NEWS’s report does not establish which component failed or give the conclusion of a technical investigation.

Can a solar hot-water system release very hot water outdoors?

Yes. Solar collectors heat water that flows to an insulated storage tank. The Australian Government’s YourHome guidance on hot-water systems says water temperatures in solar systems may approach boiling in summer; overheating can build pressure and cause a system to dump hot water. This explains a possible hazard in general, but does not confirm what caused the discharge in Ollie’s case.

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YourHome says water at 60°C can cause a skin burn within five seconds. That is enough to make an accessible discharge point a serious concern for people and pets. The guidance also describes tempering and thermostatic mixing valves, which limit the temperature of water delivered at household taps. Those tap controls do not, by themselves, show that an outdoor relief or discharge outlet is safe.

How to check your home’s discharge outlet

  1. Locate the system and its discharge point. Look for the solar collectors, storage tank and associated discharge pipe, but do not touch or stand close to a pipe that may release hot water. Ask a licensed plumber if you cannot identify the outlet safely.
  2. Keep people and animals clear while you arrange an assessment. Do not treat a pot plant, improvised cover or other object placed in front of the pipe as an engineered fix. A barrier could interfere with discharge or fail to protect against hot water.
  3. Ask a licensed plumber to assess the installation. Request a site-specific check of the safety valves, discharge pipe and where the water is directed. The correct arrangement depends on the system and local requirements.
  4. Follow the system maker’s maintenance instructions. YourHome advises professional installation, correctly installed safety valves and discharge pipes, and maintenance in line with manufacturer recommendations. A plumber can advise what applies to your particular system.

What the plumber quoted in the report advised

In the PerthNow/7NEWS story, plumber Ben Van Der Kooy said: “(The) pipe could release water at any time — the advice is know where it’s located — and put something in front of it, to protect pets and children from boiling water.” He also said hot, sunny days when hot water is not being used can be when a system gets too hot and dumps water to avoid pressure becoming dangerous.

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These are comments attributed to the plumber in that report, not a substitute for the manufacturer’s instructions or an inspection of a particular home. In particular, do not interpret the suggestion to put something in front of an outlet as approval for a specific object or improvised guard. Ask a licensed plumber how to manage the outlet without obstructing a safety discharge.

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What this incident does—and does not—show

Ollie’s death is a reported example of the harm a hot-water discharge can cause. The report does not identify a system make or model, establish the component involved, or provide an independent investigation finding. It therefore cannot show how often this kind of event occurs or support a claim that all solar hot-water systems share the same defect. The practical response for another household is to find the discharge point and have its own installation assessed by a licensed plumber.

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