What Temperature Should a Hot Water Heater Be Set At? 

What Temperature Should a Hot Water Heater Be Set At? 

Almost 20 percent of your household energy bill goes towards running your water heater. While it is one of the most utilized appliances in the home, it is often draining on your wallet. In fact, reducing your water heater temperature by just 10 degrees can help you save up to 5 percent on your monthly utilities. However, the desired temperature setting for water heaters can vary wildly from home to home. At Mr. Rooter, we provide professional residential and commercial plumbing services in Atlanta, Roswell, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Roswell and other nearby metro area cities. We enjoy helping our local customers get the most from their plumbing system, and we want to help you achieve similar results. Are you wondering which water heater temperature setting is best for your family? Here are a few tips for keeping your hot water in the perfect range for your unique lifestyle and budget.

Important Factors to Consider When Setting Your Water Heater Temperature
  • Don't let your water heater temperature dip below 120 degrees. Doing so could encourage bacterial growth inside your tank, and cause disease or illness.
  • Water set at 150 degrees or more can cause burns. Households with small children or senior citizens may want to reduce their temperature setting for safety reasons.
  • If someone in the home has issues with their respiratory or immune system, it's best to keep water at 140 degrees or more to avoid disease causing bacteria.
  • Couples or solo dwellers may decide to reduce their temperature settings to save even more money.
  • Households with large families might want to raise the temperature slightly to meet a higher demand for hot water.
How to Find Your Current Temperature Setting

Most modern water heaters will have an easy to read manual dial or digital display where the temperature setting can be observed and changed if needed. You can also take the temperature of the hot water using a thermometer while running hot water through the sink or bathtub faucet.

Possible Solutions to Water Heater Temperature Issues

Is your water heater still not meeting your needs, even after adjusting the temperature setting? There are several solutions available. Are you concerned about scalding water but don't want to encourage bacterial growth? You can invest in a hot water tank booster. When in use, your water heater will continue to warm the water in your tank to 140 degrees, but when a faucet is turned on, the booster will mix it with cool alter to lower the temperature to 120 degrees. Do you live in a house with major square footage? It can be difficult to keep the water warm in outlying areas of large homes. Installing a hot water circulating system or tankless on demand water heater can help you get the results you want.

Do You Need Reliable Water Heater Maintenance in Atlanta, Georgia? Call Mr. Rooter Today

Do you need a water heater repair, replacement, tankless water heater installation or other plumbing maintenance service? Then call the experts at Mr. Rooter of Atlanta, Georgia and get help fast. Our licensed and insured plumbers are proud to provide premium services to local home and business owners. Contact our customer care team today for more information or to schedule your next appointment.

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