Take a moment and check the thermostat on your water heater.
This is particularly important if there are children or elderly folks in the home.
To check the temperature of the water, place a cooking thermometer in the stream of hot water coming from a faucet.
The hot water temperature should not be above 125 degrees Fahrenheit. At 120 degrees, water takes five minutes of constant contact to produce a third-degree burn. At 130 degrees the exposure time is 30 seconds. Increase the temperature to 150 degrees and the exposure time is down to 1.5 seconds.
Turning down your thermostat not only reduces the risk of burns, it also makes the hot water heater last longer and saves you money.
Adjusting the Temperature on Your Water Heater
On a gas water heater it is as simple as dialing down the temperature on the control knob at the bottom of the tank.
Electric hot water heaters generally have two heating elements, one at the top and one near the bottom.
To change the temperature, turn off the power to the tank at the breaker panel, remove the inspection plates on the side of the tank, pull back the insulation, lift up the plastic cover and using a screw driver turn the screw towards the plus or minus signs.
NOTE: At 125 degrees, water is still too hot to be used for washing or bathing purposes without adding cold water.
