Nothing says you’ve achieved the American dream quite like owning a home. That’s the overarching sentiment of the roughly 66% of all Americans who own a home as of 2023. That works out to around 230 million Americans. Numerous benefits come with owning a home, such as building equity and credit, property tax deductions, and a true sense of stability. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. While homeownership is something to be proud of, it requires staying on top of maintenance. Among many other things, that includes periodically checking the home’s water heater temperature and adjusting it if needed.
The Consequence of Setting Your Water Heater Temperature Too Low or Too High
The average household in the U.S. spends anywhere from $400 to $600 on water heating annually, which accounts for 14% to 18% of their total utility bills. Mindful of this, many homeowners intentionally set the temperature of their water heaters to the lowest possible setting to save money. While these measures are effective, they come at a cost.
Studies show that for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit reduction in temperature, homeowners can save 3% to 5% on their water heating bill. While setting the temperature as low as possible might be tempting, it’s best to avoid doing so, especially if you have a traditional water tank. Bacteria can grow inside water tanks if the temperature is too low, and exposure to such bacteria can be dangerous for young children, older adults, and anyone with a compromised immune system living in the home. One of the most harmful bacteria that can form in cold, stagnant water in a home’s water tank is Legionella, which can give rise to Legionnaires’ disease, a severe and sometimes life-threatening form of pneumonia. Symptoms typical of Legionnaires’ disease include the following:
- Chest pain
- Chronic coughing, which may bring up mucus or blood
- Confusion or other mental health changes
- Headaches
- High fever, typically 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
- Muscle aches
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Shortness of breath
Whether the goal is to kill bacteria, indulge in long hot baths or showers, or perhaps both, some homeowners purposefully set their water heater temperature to the highest possible setting. And that, too, has consequences. Multiple studies show that exposure to hot water can result in scalding injuries. One of those studies comes from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. It revealed that the average adult can suffer third-degree burns in as little as 6 seconds when exposed to 140-degree water. Exposure to these same temperatures can cause burns even quicker in children and older adults.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Setting for a Water Heater?
The best temperature for a water heater is a temperature that is not too cool and not too hot. For many homeowners, striking that balance can be tricky. Most people prefer warm to hot baths or showers. But no one wants to suffer scalding injuries while partaking in either, say plumbers with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, a trusted and high-quality plumbing services company in Birmingham, AL. They also say that the type of water heater in a home, along with the age and health of its occupants, should play a role when deciding on the best possible temperature setting. The types of water heaters in most homes today include the following:
- Conventional water heaters that store hot water in a tank
- Heat pump water heaters that move heat from outside, underground, or from aquifers to a water system
- Tankless or on-demand water heaters
The ideal water heater temperature for most residential homes is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s the consensus among most professional plumbers in Birmingham, AL, including those with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. Most water heater manufacturers, however, set the default water temperature on their heaters to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which means homeowners have to lower the temperature on their units to reduce the risk of scalding injuries. Where within the 120 to 140-degree range a home’s water heater temperature should be is ultimately up to the homeowner. If they opt to keep their water temperature at or close to 140 degrees, they should have mixing valves or other temperature-regulating devices on taps for washing or bathing. These devices do an excellent job of reducing the risk of scalding.
How To Find and Adjust Your Water Heater Temperature
Some water heaters have digital displays that make it easy to determine the temperature of the water, but others do not. Many units use “low to hot” or “very hot” markings instead of numerical digits. If your home has the latter, it is still easy to check and, if needed, adjust the temperature of your water heater. Most manufacturers provide the corresponding temperatures for these vague markings not only in their manuals but also on their websites.
If all else fails, it is possible to use a thermometer to determine the water temperature in a water heater. For homes with a traditional hot water tank, this requires not turning on the hot water for at least 2 hours. In homes with a heat pump, tankless, or on-demand water heaters, it’s not necessary.
To get the most accurate temperature reading possible, allow hot water to run from a tap in your home for 1 to 2 minutes before filling a container with the hot water. After that, submerge the thermometer in the container and review the temperature reading to see how hot the water is. If the temperature on the thermometer or display on the water heater indicates the water temperature is too cool or too hot, you should consider adjusting the temperature.
In summary, a water heater temperature that is too high or too low can be dangerous. Ensuring your water heater temperature is between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit can go a long way toward keeping you and your family safe.