Let’s face it — utilities can be a big expense for homeowners! And you might have heard that your water heater uses up more energy than any other appliance in your home — and every time you use hot water, whether that’s for a shower, laundry, or to wash dishes, you’re using water out of that heating tank. Naturally, you’re probably thinking that if you want to cut costs on a monthly basis, changing the temperature on your water heater seems like a smart idea. After all, for every 20 degrees you lower the temperature on your water heater, you could potentially save yourself about 10% on your gas or electric bill.
But is it really a smart idea? Should you really be adjusting your water heater temperature?
There’s no simple yes-or-no answer, and your choice will depend on several factors. But generally speaking, you want to keep your water heater set somewhere between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, no higher and no lower. Here’s why…
Don’t Go Too Low
“I can live with taking cooler showers if it means saving money,” you think. “A cool shower is worth an extra $50 a month in my pocket!”
It’s understandable that you might feel that way. And therefore, you think you could get away with lowering your water heater to around 100 or even 90 degrees — the same temperature of your average swimming pool.
But keeping your water hot isn’t just about your comfort. When your water is sitting in your water heater, it remains stagnant — and you need to keep your water hot in order to prevent bacteria from breeding. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends you keep your water heater at an ideal temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the standard preset temperature for new water heaters.
Some experts, such as those with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), recommend going a little higher to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This is ideal if you or someone in your household has a compromised immune system and might be at high risk from the bacteria in the water.
For these reasons, it’s important that you don’t set the temperature of your water heater to be too low.
Don’t Go Too High
“That’s good to know,” you think. “But I wasn’t even thinking of turning the temp down. I’d rather turn it up — I like hot showers, and I don’t mind paying a little bit extra every month.”
Be careful. Even if you like hot showers, turning the temperature of your water heater up too high could put you at risk of being scalded. Anything above 140 degrees Fahrenheit has the potential to cause third-degree burns, especially for children and elderly adults, who have thinner skin and are therefore more susceptible to being hurt. With water at 150 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, you could be looking at injuries that require medical attention.
If You Really Need to Change It
This guidance regarding raising or lowering the temperature of your water heater assumes your water is already being held at the ideal 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
But what if your water just doesn’t feel as warm as it should and you suspect that the thermometer on your water heater might be broken. This is entirely possible. The average water heater lasts only about a decade (depending on maintenance, some have a lifespan as short as eight years while others can last up to twelve years), so if your water heater is older or hasn’t been taken care of, it’s likely less efficient than a newer one. You also might simply be losing a lot of water as it travels through your pipes to your faucet.
If you suspect this is the case, run your water at its hottest and fill a cup. Use a cooking thermometer to measure the temperature. If it’s below 120 degrees, you may need to raise the temperature of your water heater. You should also look into insulating the pipes that run from your water heater to your faucet so that your water isn’t losing too much heat as it goes.
Changing the temperature of your water heater is something you can do yourself. Consult your owner’s manual, or look for control knobs located behind a panel either at the bottom or at the top of the tank.
Use Less Hot Water
You don’t have to lower the temperature of your water tank to lower your utility bill — as long as you’re using less of the hot water stored in the tank, and forcing the water heater to warm up less water throughout the day, you’ll save money. Aim to take shorter showers, and wash your dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher. It’s also ideal to run a load of laundry only if you have a full load instead of simply for one or two articles of clothing.
Are you overdue to have maintenance done on your water heater?Contact Linthicum Plumbing today by emailing info@linthicumplumbing.net or calling 410-768-5350.