{"id":507460,"date":"2022-11-06T16:00:27","date_gmt":"2022-11-06T13:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-temperature-should-i-set-my-water-heater-at\/"},"modified":"2022-11-06T16:00:27","modified_gmt":"2022-11-06T13:00:27","slug":"what-temperature-should-i-set-my-water-heater-at","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-temperature-should-i-set-my-water-heater-at\/","title":{"rendered":"#What Temperature Should I Set My Water Heater At?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3be90f1a869\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3be90f1a869\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-temperature-should-i-set-my-water-heater-at\/#%E2%80%9CWhat_Temperature_Should_I_Set_My_Water_Heater_At%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;What Temperature Should I Set My Water Heater At?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-temperature-should-i-set-my-water-heater-at\/#Why_Does_Water_Heater_Temperature_Matter\" >Why Does Water Heater Temperature Matter?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-temperature-should-i-set-my-water-heater-at\/#Heres_the_Safe_Temperature_Range_for_Your_Water_Heater\" >Here\u2019s the Safe Temperature Range for Your Water Heater<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-temperature-should-i-set-my-water-heater-at\/#Extra_Water_Heater_Safety_and_Saving_Tips\" >Extra Water Heater Safety and Saving Tips<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-temperature-should-i-set-my-water-heater-at\/#Flush_Your_Water_Heater\" >Flush Your Water Heater<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-temperature-should-i-set-my-water-heater-at\/#Wrap_Your_Water_Heater_Tank\" >Wrap Your Water Heater Tank<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-temperature-should-i-set-my-water-heater-at\/#Insulate_Your_Pipes\" >Insulate Your Pipes<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhat_Temperature_Should_I_Set_My_Water_Heater_At%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;What Temperature Should I Set My Water Heater At?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-845688 size-full\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/WaterHeater1.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A person adjusting the temperature of their water heater.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/plumber-adjusting-thermostat-temperature-dial-on-1654461904\" data-credittext=\"The Toidi\/Shutterstock.com\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/plumber-adjusting-thermostat-temperature-dial-on-1654461904\">The Toidi\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>To avoid illness, you should set your water heater thermostat at a minimum of 120\u00b0F. To avoid increased scalding risk, you should set it below 140\u00b0F.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s tempting to set your water heater temperature back to save money, but before you do that, read this to ensure you\u2019re getting optimum comfort and savings without risking your health.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Does_Water_Heater_Temperature_Matter\"><\/span>Why Does Water Heater Temperature Matter?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Other than wishing the hot water lasted longer during a shower or dealing with the hassle of replacing a failed water heater, most people don\u2019t think much about their water heaters\u2014let alone the specifics of the temperature settings.<\/p>\n<p>There are quite a few good reasons to care about the temperature of your water heater, though. And these reasons <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ly 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. Tankless water heaters are typically wall-mounted, and there is no holding tank as the water is heated on demand.<\/p>\n<p>So why should you care about the temperature of your water heater? First and foremost, there\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p>And if your water heater is set too low, there\u2019s a risk of microorganisms proliferating in the water. Although tankless water heaters have a significantly decreased risk of this because there is no water tank for the organisms to colonize, the risk still isn\u2019t zero.<\/p>\n<p>Those microorganisms can make you very sick, especially when they become aerosolized while you\u2019re taking a shower and you breathe them right into your lungs. The bacteria in the <em>Legionella<\/em> family are the best-known example of this, and breathing them in causes an atypical form of pneumonia called Legionnaire\u2019s Disease.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to safety concerns, there is also the matter of saving money. Turning your water heater up higher than you need just wastes money keeping the water hot when you\u2019re either not going to use it or end up mixing it with more cold water to cool it off.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_the_Safe_Temperature_Range_for_Your_Water_Heater\"><\/span>Here\u2019s the Safe Temperature Range for Your Water Heater<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are a few factors to consider when setting the thermostat on your water heater. Let\u2019s look at the different temperature ranges and when you may wish to use them.<\/p>\n<p>The absolute lowest you should set your water heater is 120\u00b0F. This is because <em>Legionella<\/em> bacteria thrive at 77\u00b0F-113\u00b0F. It\u2019s worth noting that 120\u00b0F is not hot enough to kill <em>Legionella<\/em> bacteria. It merely stops the growth so that any bacteria that may have come in with the freshwater supply won\u2019t multiply to dangerous levels.<\/p>\n<p>You may wish to set your water heater above 120\u00b0F if you like really hot baths or showers, want longer showers (mixing hotter water with the incoming cold water can extend your shower), or if your appliances don\u2019t have built-in heaters.<\/p>\n<p>Many dishwashers and washing machines have an electric heating element that boosts the temperature of the water at the appliance itself. If your appliances, especially the dishwasher, lack this feature, you may wish to compensate by turning up your water heater. This applies whether you have a traditional or tankless system, as the appliance needs hot water one way or the other.<\/p>\n<p>Even if you don\u2019t need the water hotter for your appliances, you might consider turning it up higher if you have a traditional water heater that will hold tens of gallons of water at a time. At 130\u00b0F, <em>Legionella<\/em> bacteria die in around 6 hours.\u00a0At 140\u00b0F, <em>Legionella<\/em> bacteria die in within 30 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>Water at and above 140\u00b0F poses an increased scalding risk, especially for children and elderly people (who may be less sensitive to temperature variations and lack the grip strength or dexterity to shut off the water quickly if the temperature is too hot).<\/p>\n<p>How big of a risk is scalding at higher temperatures? It takes minutes of exposure for 120\u00b0F to scald, but only seconds of exposure for 140\u00b0F to scald, so it\u2019s wise to adjust your water heater based on the age of your home\u2019s occupants.<\/p>\n<p>Do note that while scalding is still an issue with tankless water heaters, bacterial contamination isn\u2019t. Because tankless water heaters don\u2019t hold large volumes of water for extended periods of time, you don\u2019t have to worry about your tankless water heater turning into a <em>Legionella<\/em> colony.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Extra_Water_Heater_Safety_and_Saving_Tips\"><\/span>Extra Water Heater Safety and Saving Tips<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In addition to setting the temperature of the water heater back (within reason) to save a little on your energy bill, there are a few things you can do to save money and increase the safety of your water heater.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Flush_Your_Water_Heater\"><\/span>Flush Your Water Heater<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s wise to routinely flush your water heater. Not only does this flush sediment and hard water buildup from the bottom of the water tank, thus increasing the efficiency of your water heater and extending the life of the components, but it also makes the water safer.<\/p>\n<p>The crud at the bottom of your water heater is a perfect place for bacteria to grow, and flushing it out means an overall safer water heater.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t need to flush tankless water heaters the same way you flush a traditional water heater, but they do have a maintenance routine that includes a yearly flush with a mild acid (like vinegar or a manufacturer-specified cleaner) to remove the hard water scale.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wrap_Your_Water_Heater_Tank\"><\/span>Wrap Your Water Heater Tank<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you put your hand on the outside of your water heater\u2019s tank and the tank feels warm to the touch, it\u2019s losing heat energy to the environment.<\/p>\n<p>You want the energy going to heat the water, not the utility room the heater is in, so if your heater tank is very warm to the touch, it might be worth picking up a water heater insulation blanket. They typically cost about $30-50 and do exactly as the name implies: it\u2019s a big insulation blanket you wrap around the body of the water heater to help it retain heat.<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-box  \">\n<div class=\"product-img product-img-noaward\">\n<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\" role=\"presentation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Frost-King-SP57-11C-Blanket\/dp\/B000BPCWQY?tag=lsmedia-11713-20\" onclick=\"fbq('track', 'Buy Button'); if (fb_t_convert){fb_t_convert();}\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/52190077-79f3-4c3d-a5b1-95583eeb46e5_1.a28fa817c7d7ff14aeadce683647ca69.jpeg\" height=\"147px\" width=\"150px\" alt=\"\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>You can find them in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Frost-King-SP57-11C-Blanket\/dp\/B000BPCWQY?tag=lsmedia-11713-20\">fiberglass<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Insulation-FIBERGLASS-Certified-Satisfaction-Guaranteed\/dp\/B0041871AY?tag=lsmedia-11713-20\">non-fiberglass forms<\/a>. The fiberglass ones offer better insulation but the radiant-foil non-fiberglass ones are easier to handle with no risk of skin irritation or loose fibers.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Insulate_Your_Pipes\"><\/span>Insulate Your Pipes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If your water heater is located in your basement or crawl space and there is a substantial run of exposed piping before the pipes enter the walls, then it\u2019s worth insulating your pipes.<\/p>\n<p>Closed-cell foam pipe insulation is inexpensive and easy to install. It comes in tube form with a slit down the side, so you just pop it over the existing pipes and use a bit of foil tape down the seam to secure it.<\/p>\n<p>While you can buy <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Foam-King-Insulation-copper-length\/dp\/B084WYBGMG?tag=lsmedia-11713-20\">pipe insulation online<\/a>, purchasing it at a local hardware store is much cheaper. It usually comes in 3-6 foot lengths, and for 1\/2\u2033 diameter residential plumbing, you\u2019ll spend about 35 cents a foot.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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To avoid increased scalding risk, you should set it below 140\u00b0F. It\u2019s tempting to set your water heater temperature back to save money, but before you do that, read&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":507461,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/WaterHeater1.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-507460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/507460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=507460"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/507460\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/507461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=507460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=507460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=507460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}