How To Turn Up Hot Water Heater
Properly adjusting your hot water heater temperature is vital to keep your family safe and comfortable at all times. Follow our simple, step-by-step guide to turn up the heaters, both gas and electric units.
Hot Water Heater Settings Guide
The hot water heater is one of the most energy-intensive appliances in the home. Setting your water heater to a lower temperature is one of the easiest ways to reduce your energy costs.
Most modern water heaters are set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the water temperature that is ready and capable of killing any harmful bacteria. This is the recommended temperature by the US Department of Energy.
Some health experts recommend setting the temperature at 140 degrees if members of the home are immunocompromised. It’s important to note that this is a very high temperature, posing threats specifically to young and elderly people. Everyone is at risk of scalding at this temperature.
- Lowest safe temperature: 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Highest safe temperature: 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
How To Turn Up A Gas Water Heater
It is possible that you’ll need to adjust your hot water settings. For older models, it’s as simple as turning a small dial found near the bottom of the unit. Older units do not feature a readout or gauge to let users track the temperature. It may be easier to adjust, but it takes some experimenting because you must let the water temperature adjust and then confirm it at your sink or shower.
Adjusting a more modern gas water heater can require the following:
- Turn the power to the water heater off at the circuit breaker. Check the circuit breaker labels in order to find the right switch.
- Locate the thermostat access panel located on the water heater. You may need a screwdriver to remove the panel.
- Use the screwdriver to adjust the temperature setting by turning the control both up and down. The thermostat may have the temperatures listed or simply denoted as “+” or “-“.
- Replace your panel and restore the power to the hot water heater at the panel.
- It’s possible that you’ll need to relight the pilot light.
- Wait at least three hours to test the water temperature at either a shower or faucet.
How To Turn Up An Electric Water Heater
Most modern electric water heaters offer indicators that let you adjust the temperatures quite easily. This process is quite similar to that of a gas model, with a few differences.
- Turn the power off at the circuit breaker. Most electric models use 240 volts, meaning you must turn off two breakers.
- Remove the thermostat access panel at this time. It may have a thin sheet of insulation found beneath the cover. Remove this.
- Use a screwdriver to adjust the temperature setting. Any temperature above 120 degrees Fahrenheit unfortunately poses a burn risk.
- Replace the insulation and panel.
- Return power to the model at the circuit breaker panel.
- Wait for at least three hours before testing the temperature.
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