To avoid increased scalding risk, you should set it below 140F.
Why Does Water Heater Temperature Matter?
There are quite a few good reasons to care about the temperature of your water heater, though.
And these reasons apply to both traditional tank-based water heaters and tankless water heaters.
Not sure which one you have?
Tank-based water heaters have a cylindrical holding tank that sits on the floor.
This blanket has an R10 insulation and keeps the heat in your water heater where it belongs.
So why should you care about the temperature of your water heater?
First and foremost, there’s safety.
If your water heater is set too hot, there is an increased risk of scalding.
That risk applies regardless of the kind of water heater you have.
In addition to safety concerns, there is also the matter of saving money.
Let’s look at the different temperature ranges and when you may wish to use them.
The absolute lowest you should set your water heater is 120F.
This is because Legionella bacteria thrive at 77F-113F.
It’s worth noting that 120F is not hot enough to kill Legionella bacteria.
At 130F, Legionella bacteria die in around 6 hours.
At 140F, Legionella bacteria die in within 30 minutes.
How big of a risk is scalding at higher temperatures?
Do note that while scalding is still an issue with tankless water heaters, bacterial contamination isn’t.
Flush Your Water Heater
It’s wise to routinelyflush your water heater.
This blanket has an R10 insulation and keeps the heat in your water heater where it belongs.
it’s possible for you to find them infiberglassandnon-fiberglass forms.
Closed-cell foam pipe insulation is inexpensive and easy to install.
While you might buypipe insulation online, purchasing it at a local hardware store is much cheaper.
