Don't Get Burned: The Importance of Proper Water Temperature At Home

I have been to more homes then I would care to count that had water heater settings that were well above recommended levels. When you have steam coming out from your faucet which literally raises the humidity level in the bathroom it may be time to evaluate your water heater settings.

One can practice both safety and economy by keeping water temperature at appropriate levels. Very hot water temperature can cause burns. Setting the hot water temperature lower also means a savings in energy bills for heating the home's water. However, a lower temperature does mean you will run out of hot water more quickly.

Most experts recommend that hot water temperature should not exceed 125° F. A water temperature exceeding this poses serious risk of bad burns, particularly to children who have thinner more sensitive skin. In fact even at 125° F, if the child puts his or her hand in the water continuously for just a minute or two he or she can get second to even third degree burns.Some pediatricians instead suggest setting the hot water temperature at 120° F.

Temperatures above 125ºF can rapidly cause burns to skin in adults too.  For example, it is estimated that it takes only two seconds of exposure to water at 150° F and only six seconds of exposure to water at 140° F to cause a very bad burn in adults. 

Some are concerned that lowering the water temperature will result in soap working improperly in dishwashers or washing machines. Actually most soap and detergent is meant to work at between 120° to 125° F.

Others are concerned that lowering water temperature might lead to greater chances of passing illness between family members. Actually, the best method for preventing illnesses is hand washing with warm, not hot, soapy water. 120° F water is quite hot enough to wash most germs away. It will not always work, since some germs are airborne and one contracts them through exposure or inhalation of the infected droplets of someone else, as after a sneeze.

In terms of cost saving, dropping the water temperature setting by ten degrees typically saves approximately 4% on one’s cost to heat water each year. This can make a profound difference if dropping the water temperature from 150° to 120° F, saving essentially 12% a year.

Additionally a device can be installed referred to as a Scald Guard. This device is typically installed at bathroom tubs and kitchen sinks where most scalding accidents occur. The device is designed to limit the amount of hot water at the fixture. It will either shut off the water like at a faucet if it gets to hot or limit the temperature of the water like at the tub spout.