We recommend setting your water heater temperature within 120-140°F. If you have a larger water heater or a commercial unit, it can be set between 130-140° F. If you have children, 120°F is safe for the majority of households.
And while there is a very slight risk of promoting legionellae bacteria when hot water tanks are maintained at 120ºF, this level is still considered safe for the majority of the population. If you have a suppressed immune system or chronic respiratory disease, you may consider keeping your hot water tank at 140ºF.
Control your water temperature.
Though the DOE says you can save money on hot water by lowering the maximum temperature of your water heater from 140° F to 120° F, we don't necessarily recommend it.
Water Heater Temperature Recommendations
120 degrees Fahrenheit is the safety recommendation against scalding, but 140° is the common default setting.
68 degrees is best because lower temperatures reduce the amount of energy needed to keep the house warm.
If you want to enhance your dish with essential nutrients, moisture and flavor, low-temperature cooking is an excellent method to achieve these qualities. Meanwhile, high heat cooking may result in loss of nutrients and increased heart disease risk.
If someone is at home in the daytime, 72° F (22° C) is a good start, but aim for 68° F (20° C). If everyone is away from home in the daytime or you're asleep at night, we feel 66° F (19° C) to 62° F (17° C) is best.
Hot water needs to be stored above 60°C in hot water systems to prevent bacteria growth (such as Legionella), but a tempering valve ensures that the water comes out of the tap at a lower temperature.
Turning up the heat at the water heater causes hotter water to go to the hot tap. If you desire the same temperature, this makes you use more of the cold tap. Therefore, you're using a smaller percentage of hot water for the same total shower flow. This makes the perceived hot water in your tank last longer.
Turning your water heater off completely when it's not in use can help you save a small amount of money each month on your energy bills, but the hassle of manually turning your unit off and on typically outweighs the benefits.
The best temperature setting for a hot water heater is between 120 and 140 degrees. Below 120 degrees, bacteria can develop in the stagnant water sitting in the tank. Above 140 degrees, the water is so hot that you and your family members can be at risk for scalding in as little as two seconds.
Faulty fixtures or leaking connections and pipes can go unnoticed at the water heater because it is not an appliance you see every day. The leaks can become significant and result in an increase in the water usage bill and your energy usage bill.
If it's set too low, not only will your hot water feel lukewarm, at best, it can also lead to bacterial growth which can cause things like Legionnaires' disease.
Homeowners will find that by turning down their hot water tank temperature by about 20 degrees to 120 Fahrenheit or 48 Celsius, they will see cost savings of about 6 to 10 percent.
Set it too high, and you could be setting yourself up for a scalding accident. How Low Can You Go? The short answer: 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the preset thermostat temperature in most new water heaters, and it's the recommended setting of the U.S. Department of Energy.
OSHA, on the other hand, recommends setting your water heater to 140 degrees in order to aid with cleaning and sanitation. Anything between 120 and 140 degrees is within the safe range, which means it really all comes down to a matter of personal preference.
For instance, a typical shower uses about 10 gallons of hot water. So, if you have a 40-gallon hot water tank, you should be able to get four average-length showers out of your hot water tank. This also depends on how much hot water you use for other things.
What Temperature Should a Water Heater Be Set At? Most water heaters are set to a standard temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the Department of Energy notes that turning your water heater temperature down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit can help save energy.
So, what is the best temperature range for your water heater? The EPA recommends 120 degrees because it's hot enough to keep diseases at bay but not hot enough to cause scalding. This setting will also supply enough hot water for most small families and is relatively energy efficient.
According to most dermatologists, the ideal shower temperature is anywhere between 98°F (37°C) and 104°F (40°C)—and no more than 105 °F (41°C). Rinsing under lukewarm water allows you to stay comfortable and maintain your body temperature while reaping all the benefits of both hot and cold showers.
According to the experts at the Energy Saving Trust, the idea that you can save money by keeping your central heating permanently on low is a myth.
68 to 72 degrees is a temperature range that is not too warm or cool, and is sufficient enough to warm up the home just enough so that everyone is comfortable regardless of the type of clothing they have on.