How To Set Temp On Water Heater

Did you know that finding the right h2o heater settings tin save you a ton of money? Indeed, while nearly people don't requite their hot h2o heater settings any thought any, they're actually quite important. Not just will information technology save you money, but information technology'll also make your showers more than comfortable every bit well.

Let's accept a look at the steps.

Default Hot Water Heater Settings Can Vary

Water heaters in Phoenix oftentimes come with default temperature settings as high every bit 140 degrees Fahrenheit. That's mode higher than nearly people need but manufacturers do information technology for a number of reasons.

For one, according to the Department of Energy, bacteria can't survive in water that hot. For consumers suffering from decreased allowed function or respiratory diseases, loftier gas or electric h2o heater settings tin be useful.

Of course, loftier temperatures can besides print consumers who likely just replaced their tank because the old one stopped working properly.

Once this psychological gimmick wears off, though (and assuming yous don't accept a disease that makes you particularly decumbent to bacteria), you'll probably derive far more satisfaction from saving money on your h2o bill, which we'll show you lot how to do side by side.

How Much Are Your Gas and Electrical Hot Water Heater Temperature Settings Costing You lot?

Equally a general rule, for every 20 degrees y'all lower your gas or electric water heater settings, you'll save as much as 10% on your bill. That'due south swell at all! In fact, it really adds upward over time and you can surely think of several better uses for that coin.

"But wait," you might exist thinking. "I dearest hot showers!"

That'south fair — simply you most certainly don't take showers at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which actually poses a scalding risk. You likely won't even discover the modify. Fifty-fifty if yous do, turning the temperature back up is piece of cake. It might even cause old hot h2o heaters to terminate working.

How To Accommodate Your Gas and Electric Hot Water Heater Temperature Settings

Now that y'all know why you should lower your water heater's temperature, let'southward look at how to go most doing this.

Step One: Get An Authentic Temperature Reading

The thermostat dial connected to your water heater tank is likely unreliable. As such, you should actually measure the water coming out of your faucet with a thermometer. The Section of Free energy recommends measuring the water coming out of the faucet that lies furthest from your water heater.

In one case y'all go the setting, make notation of it.

Footstep Two: Effigy Out Where to Make the Adjustment

Dissimilar types of water heaters have unlike adjustment methods so nosotros'll look at each of them individually.

Electrical Water Heater Settings

For electric water heaters, you need to suit the hot water settings at the top and bottom. Both controls will usually exist hidden behind a panel and consist of knobs that you turn to the desired electric water heater thermostat settings.

Gas H2o Heater Settings

Newer gas water heaters have temperature controls similar to what we mentioned in a higher place in the section on electric units. Some older gas heaters, all the same, take a temperature knob nigh their base that you can simply turn to the desired temperature.

Tankless Water Heater Settings

Lastly, we accept tankless h2o heaters. This is perhaps the easiest adjustment of all as there'southward ordinarily an LED console where y'all can directly adjust the temperature. These systems are handy because they often let you lot to adjust the tankless water heater settings more precisely than with dial-based aligning systems.

Step Three: Make The Adjustments

If you have an electric unit of measurement, make certain you disconnect its electrical power before adjusting the hot water heater settings at the elevation and bottom as we outlined previously. Yous can exercise this by switching the appropriate controls off at your excursion breaker. You should also exercise this if you take a gas water heater that uses some electricity (every bit some newer units do).

But wait! What temperature should you set up it to?

The Department of Free energy recommends setting your heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That should exist plenty hot enough for near uses in your home.

Now, some water heater temperature controls come with settings that read "A-B-C" as opposed to numbers. Mostly, A means 120 degrees, B means 130 degrees, and C means 140 degrees.

Refer to your water heater's manual to confirm these settings.

Step Four: Tweak the Settings as Necessary

After you lot've adjusted your gas or electric water heater thermostat settings, you lot may discover that you need to tweak them once or twice to detect the optimal setting. Yous desire to find the correct balance betwixt comfort and frugality. If that's higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit for yous, no shame there. Adjust abroad!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 150 Too Hot For A Water Heater?

A temperature setting of 150 degrees is nearly certainly also hot for your h2o heater. At that temperature, you lot're very likely to experience scalding. This is a meaning danger to your children, who may play with the faucet temperature settings, unaware of the danger, and end upwards scalding themselves unintentionally.

What Is The Maximum Temperature For A Water Heater?

For most water heaters, the maximum temperature setting is 150 degrees.

Is 140 Too Hot For A Water Heater?

For nigh people, yes, 140 degrees Fahrenheit is besides hot. The exception would exist people who need an extra layer of protection from bacteria, which tin't survive in h2o at that temperature. Such a condition doesn't protect you lot from scalding, though, so you'll likely nevertheless need to install an appliance at the showerhead that cools the water downward before it comes out.

Why Is My Water So Hot?

If you lot've never adjusted your hot water heater settings, they're likely yet at the manufacturer default of 140 degrees. This is particularly true if yous've only recently had your hot water heater installed; the old one was likely adjusted at some indicate over the years, whereas the new i is at its default.

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Source: https://americanhomewater.com/adjusting-your-water-heater-settings-how-to-maximize-efficiency/

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