|
|
|
Understanding Water Heater Temperature Settings
Understanding Water Heater Temperature Settings
This article can show you how to check the temperature settings on your water heater, and adjust it when you need to. Both electric and gas residential hot water heaters are explained.
What Temperature Should the Heater be Set?
It depends on your needs, but most manufacturers recommend that your water heater be set at 120 degrees to prevent accidental scalding, and to keep your energy use down. Scalding is a particular problem in any home with small children, though installing single handle faucets can also help reduce the changes of someone running water that is too hot on themselves. If you use an older dishwasher that doesn't have a function to preheat the water, you might want to keep your hot water tank set a bit higher at 140 instead to make sure your dishes are getting sanitized.
About the Settings
Even in water, heat always rises. This means the water at the top of the tank can be significantly hotter than at the bottom, especially if the thermostat and heating element is at the bottom. The temperature isn't a static reading. The water may cool down to 110 before a thermostat setting of 120 kicks in and starts heating. And then it may heat the water as hot as 130 before shutting off.
Check the Temperature Setting
Let your water heater sit unused for about an hour before you go to check. With a cooking or candy thermometer, read the temperature of the water coming from your faucet after letting it run for one complete minute. Fill a cup or bowl, and check the temperature.
For a Gas Water Heater
Most gas water heaters have a dial on the front to control the gas, usually marked with a range from "warm" to "hot". The warm setting will give water that is between 90 and 110 degrees, while the hot setting will be between 140 to 150. Just turn the dial to the right place between the two extremes.
For an Electric Water Heater
Electric water heaters are a bit more complicated. Make sure the power is off, and remove the control panels for the heating elements. Move any insulation out of the way so you can see the thermostat. The screw to adjust the temperature setting usually doesn't have a lever or knob, so you should have a flat-head screwdriver handy. If you want your water to be 120 degrees or hotter, you should set the upper thermostat to 120 and the lower one to the actual temperature you want. This is because heat rises and the lower element will do most of the heating.
Replace the insulation and the control panel cover, and turn the power back on to the water heater.
John Lashley is the editor of Water-Heater-Repair-Guide.com - the resource for do-it-yourself water heater troubleshooting. Read more about how to handle a water heater thermostat at his site.
Plumber, Plumbing Repairs, Water Heater Repair, Water Heater Installation, Plumbing Contractor
Video Rating: 0 / 5