Finding the right temperture to set your water heater thermostat is a balance of safety, comfort and efficiency. If there are young children or eldery residents in the home, it's important that the temperature be set to a range no higher than 118 to 120F. By default, most water heater manufacturers set the temperature on the thermostat as high as 140 Fahrenheit. For most households, this is simply too high. One rule of thumb: if you can't hold your hand under the tap with the water on it's hottest setting, then the thernostat is turned up too high, and your wasting energy. In addition, setting the temperature too high increasing the risk of scalding, again, this is a concern if there are young children or elderly residents in the home.
Setting the water heater to 120 Fahrenheit work well in most cases. Turning the temperature down 20 degrees will save between 6 to 10 percent on energy costs. If you're finding that 120 F is leaving you wishing the water was hotter, gradually adjust the setting upward until a comfortable setting is achieved. If you are noticing that the water temperature is fluctuating widely, the temperature never reaches the set level, or you're running out of hot water too soon, don't turn up the thermostat on the water heater, call Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating. We can help identify the cause and recommend solutions to ensure you have a sufficient supply of hot water at the right temperature.
