How To Adjust Temperature On Electric Hot Water Heater Rheem

Did you know that finding the right water heater settings can save you a ton of coin? Indeed, while well-nigh people don't give their hot water heater settings any thought whatsoever, they're really quite important. Not but will information technology salvage you lot coin, but information technology'll also brand your showers more comfortable as well.

Allow's take a look at the steps.

Default Hot H2o Heater Settings Tin Vary

Water heaters in Phoenix often come with default temperature settings every bit high every bit 140 degrees Fahrenheit. That's way higher than most people demand just manufacturers do it 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, high gas or electric water heater settings tin be useful.

Of form, high temperatures tin also impress consumers who likely simply replaced their tank because the old one stopped working properly.

One time this psychological gimmick wears off, though (and bold you lot don't have a disease that makes you particularly prone to bacteria), you'll probably derive far more than satisfaction from saving coin on your h2o bill, which we'll show you how to do next.

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

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

"Simply look," you might be thinking. "I dearest hot showers!"

That's fair — but you well-nigh certainly don't accept showers at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which really poses a scalding risk. Yous probable won't even observe the change. Fifty-fifty if you do, turning the temperature back up is easy. It might even cause erstwhile hot h2o heaters to end working.

How To Adjust Your Gas and Electrical Hot Water Heater Temperature Settings

Now that you know why you should lower your h2o heater's temperature, allow's look at how to go about doing this.

Stride One: Get An Accurate Temperature Reading

The thermostat dial connected to your water heater tank is probable unreliable. As such, you should actually measure out the water coming out of your faucet with a thermometer. The Section of Energy recommends measuring the h2o coming out of the faucet that lies furthest from your water heater.

Once you become the setting, make notation of it.

Step Two: Effigy Out Where to Make the Aligning

Unlike types of water heaters accept different aligning methods so we'll look at each of them individually.

Electric H2o Heater Settings

For electrical h2o heaters, you need to accommodate the hot water settings at the top and bottom. Both controls will usually be subconscious behind a panel and consist of knobs that you lot plough to the desired electrical water heater thermostat settings.

Gas Water Heater Settings

Newer gas h2o heaters take temperature controls similar to what we mentioned above in the section on electric units. Some older gas heaters, however, have a temperature knob virtually their base of operations that you tin but turn to the desired temperature.

Tankless H2o Heater Settings

Lastly, nosotros accept tankless water heaters. This is perhaps the easiest adjustment of all every bit at that place's unremarkably an LED console where you can directly adjust the temperature. These systems are handy because they often permit you lot to accommodate the tankless h2o heater settings more precisely than with dial-based aligning systems.

Step Three: Make The Adjustments

If you have an electrical unit, make sure you lot disconnect its electrical ability before adjusting the hot water heater settings at the top and bottom as we outlined previously. You lot tin can practice this by switching the appropriate controls off at your excursion billow. You should as well do this if yous accept a gas water heater that uses some electricity (as some newer units practice).

Merely wait! What temperature should y'all prepare it to?

The Department of Energy recommends setting your heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That should be plenty hot plenty for most uses in your habitation.

At present, some water heater temperature controls come with settings that read "A-B-C" as opposed to numbers. More often than not, 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 equally Necessary

After you've adjusted your gas or electrical h2o heater thermostat settings, you may find that you need to tweak them in one case or twice to observe the optimal setting. You lot want to find the correct balance between condolement and frugality. If that's higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit for you, no shame there. Conform away!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 150 Too Hot For A H2o Heater?

A temperature setting of 150 degrees is virtually certainly too hot for your h2o heater. At that temperature, you lot're very probable to experience scalding. This is a significant danger to your children, who may play with the faucet temperature settings, unaware of the danger, and end upwardly 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 Likewise Hot For A Water Heater?

For most people, yes, 140 degrees Fahrenheit is besides hot. The exception would be people who demand an actress layer of protection from bacteria, which can't survive in water at that temperature. Such a condition doesn't protect you from scalding, though, so you'll likely still need to install an appliance at the showerhead that cools the water down before it comes out.

Why Is My H2o So Hot?

If you've never adjusted your hot h2o heater settings, they're likely however at the manufacturer default of 140 degrees. This is especially true if y'all've only recently had your hot water heater installed; the old 1 was likely adjusted at some point over the years, whereas the new 1 is at its default.