QA

Quick Answer: What Temperature Should You Set Your Hot Water Heater

120 degrees Fahrenheit is the safety recommendation against scalding, but 140° is the common default setting. Most experts agree that anything below 120 degrees creates a risk for bacteria to develop inside your water heater from stagnant water, such as legionella that causes Legionnaire’s disease.

Is 150 too hot for water heater?

The recommended setting for household water heaters is not 150 degrees, but slightly less _ 140 degrees. Water temperatures higher than 140 degrees can burn the skin and are particularly dangerous for young children and the elderly.

Is 130 too hot for water heater?

Professionals recommend keeping your water heater set at a temperature between 130 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Any higher, or lower, could actually be dangerous for you and your family. While turning the temperature up higher can result in burns, turning it lower than the recommended setting can also be dangerous.

Is 120 too hot for water heater?

The EPA recommends 120 degrees because it’s hot enough to keep diseases at bay, it’s not hot enough to cause scalding, it will supply enough hot water for most small families and is relatively energy-efficient.

What should water heater be set at AB or C?

The Department of Energy recommends setting your heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That should be plenty hot enough for most uses in your home. Now, some water heater temperature controls come with settings that read “A-B-C” as opposed to numbers.

Can I set my water heater to 125?

If you invest in one or more thermal protection devices to protect against overly hot water, the water heater could be safely set a little higher than 125 degrees. Most water heaters don’t have a thermostat control that is calibrated in such a way that you can just dial in 125 degrees.

Will 115 degree water burn you?

Hot Water Safety. Even though a water temperature of 110° F is ‘relatively-safe’, exposure can be painful; the human pain threshold is around 106-108° F. A child can suffer a third-degree burn in 124°F water in less than three minutes. Children and adults can be burned this badly in two seconds or sooner in 149°F water.

Does turning up water heater make hot water last longer?

When you raise the water heater temperature, the tempering valve will automatically reduce the volume of hot water in the mix to prevent scalding. Thus, the rate of consumption DOES depend on temperature. The lowered rate WILL make the hot water in the heater “last longer”.

Is 60 degrees water hot?

In general, hot water is 130 F (54.4 C) or above. Warm water is between 110 and 90 F (43.3 to 32.2 C). Cold water is generally between 80 and 60 F (26.7 to 15 C). The temperature of your water can vary greatly depending on the weather outside, too.

What is a good water temperature for shower?

The optimal temperature for shower water or bath water, so that it washes away environmental dirt and bacteria, is no higher than 112 degrees Fahrenheit, Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Melissa Piliang says. Few things feel better than a hot soak on a cold day.

What is normal water temperature?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, water and other drinks should be between 50 and 72 degrees F for optimal hydration.

What is cold water temperature?

Cold water is between 80 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit (26.7-15 Celsius).

Will 122 degree water burn you?

The severity of tap water scalds depends on the temperature of the water and the length of time the skin is exposed. Human exposure to hot water at 140°F can lead to a serious burn within 3 seconds, whereas at 120°F a serious burn takes about 10 minutes.

How long should a 50-gallon water heater stay hot?

A 50-gallon hot water heater with 5,500-watt elements set to 120 degrees takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to heat water coming in to the unit at 60 degrees. Conversely, when the water entering this same tank is 40 degrees, it takes 1 hours, 47 minutes to heat it up.

Why do I only get 5 minutes of hot water?

If you’ve noticed that your hot water is suddenly turning cold after a very short amount of time, the most likely cause is a broken dip tube inside your hot water heater. And when that happens, you’ll get lukewarm water delivered to you soon after you start using hot water.

Why do I only have 10 minutes of hot water?

If you are getting less than a full tank of hot water, the most likely cause is the bottom element burning out. Less likely, either of the thermostats could be faulty, which could be keeping the lower element from turning on.

Is 50 degrees hot enough for hot water?

So, what is the best temperature range for your water heater? The EPA recommends 120 degrees because it’s hot enough to keep diseases at bay, it’s not hot enough to cause scalding, it will supply enough hot water for most small families and is relatively energy-efficient.