New bathtub rules to prevent young children from burning in hot water

Homeowners and their families would be protected from getting burned by the water in their bathtubs under new rules from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

HUD announced new rules Monday for the pipes, or anti-scalding valves, that connect a home's water heater to the bathtub. These devices regulate the water temperature of baths and whirlpools. 

"Anti-scald valves mitigate the danger of serious burns and other hazards caused by bursts of hot water resulting from sudden changes in water pressure," HUD wrote in the Federal Register.

In December, HUD published rules for anti-scalding devices that control the temperature of showers but forgot to include the standards for such devices that are used in bathtubs and whirlpools that do not have showerheads, so the agency is issuing new rules for these devices.

"As HUD states in its final rule, the Centers for Disease Control and other organizations report that a majority of scald burn victims are young children whose injuries may have been prevented by the use of an anti-scald valve," the agency wrote.

The new rules go into effect in 30 days.