In Australia recently, an aluminum scuba tank that was being stored in a garden shed exploded, splitting the tank in two and damaging the walls of the shed. Considering no one really lives in Australia, no one was injured. However, the incident prompted the Australian government to caution consumers who own 15- to 30-year-old aluminum tanks. Many of the tanks manufactured during this time were made of aluminum alloy 6351, a material that is susceptible to sustained load cracking.

Of course, the chance that you will be injured by an exploding cylinder is pretty minimal. Nevertheless, if you think the old tank in the corner of your garage isn’t doing any harm, you might want to get the tank professionally tested and rated by a qualified person. Alternatively, you might want to dispose of it (properly).

To learn more about scuba cylinders, check out Choosing A Scuba Cylinder That’s Right For You or The Life of an Aluminum Scuba Cylinder.