How Hot Should Your Hot Water Be?

How high should you set the temperature of your water heater?  The answer, of course, is that it depends on how you use your hot water.  Still, understanding the benefits that different settings provide can help you better determine which setting best meets your needs.

Hot enough for you?

The first question to ask is if you are having problems with your current setting.  Are your showers never as hot as you would like?  Do you run out of hot water too quickly?  Or, are you constantly antsy about scalding yourself or children?

If everything seems fine and you want to try to save a bit of money, then look at the current setting, note the temperature, and then lower it by five degrees.  If it continues to meet your needs, repeat the process until it is on the lowest setting you find comfortable.

If you are having problems with the water not being hot enough or are running out of hot water, simply do the same process but increase it in increments of five degrees.

By the numbers

From a safety perspective, the lower the temperature, the better.

• 120 degrees:  this temperature is adequate for most needs.  It may feel inadequate for hand-washing dishes, though it is fine for dishwashers (which include a heating element).  If you want a steamy shower, this may be too low for your tastes.
• 130 degrees:  Generally, this is the highest you should need to set a water heater that is large enough for your home’s hot water consumption.  It is sufficient for hand-washing dishes and provides enough punch for a steamy shower.  (It will scald adults in about 30 seconds.)
• 140 degrees:   According to the Shriners Hosptials for Chilren’s website, it takes only 5 seconds of exposure to 140 degree water to scald skin—and children scald faster because they have thinner skin.  (Children under 5 will be scalded in half the time.)

If you find that you are still running out of hot water at 140 degrees, you likely have problems that you are trying to compensate for by upping the temperature.  Consult a plumber and have an inspection done.  If your hot water heater is old, it may simply have a build-up of sediment that is decreasing your available supply of hot water.  And if your hot water heater is simply too small, you can save money in the long-run by buying a larger one and running it a lower-setting.

Setting your hot water heater to the optimal setting is an easy way to save money.  It can also prevent injury.