The water heater will take up around 18% of the total energy bill of the home. If you set the temperature too high, it can actually increase the energy bill total needlessly. However, if the temperature setting is too low, you may not have enough hot water to take a proper shower. Low temperatures can even increase bacteria in the water, which is why anything below 120 degrees can be bad for stagnant water lying in the heater.
The EPA recommends that 120 degrees is perfect for water heaters since it can reduce the chance of diseases, it won’t be scalding, and small families will have plenty of hot water to last. It is an energy-efficient temperature setting, but there are different factors that homeowners should still consider carefully.
Gilbert water heater services have outlined the following factors that you should consider carefully.
Factors That Influence Water Temperatures
When you are setting the temperature, a number of factors will influence the decision. It doesn’t matter what type of plumbing system you have or the type of fuel your water heater relies on. Even with a tankless water heater, the following can impact the overall temperature needs.
- Homes that don’t have a dishwasher that pre-heats the water itself may want to keep the temperature of the water heater at 140 degrees.
- If you have children or elderly in the house, the temperature should be reduced to 120 degrees since they are more susceptible to burns. It can take just five seconds for a child to get third-degree burns from 140-degree water and two seconds from 150-degree water.
- If you have any members with respiratory diseases or suppressed immune systems, the hot water should be kept at 140 degrees.
- If you live alone, you can save a lot of money and energy by lowering the temperature. There is low demand for hot water with fewer people living there. Larger households should increase the temperature to ensure that the demand can be met.
- For people on a budget, for every 10 degrees that you reduce, you will be saving around 3-5% of your money on energy bills.
Remember, your water heater also needs timely maintenance work to remain an efficient system that you can rely on. If it is old or small, you can also get an upgrade to ensure that it meets the requirements of the family.
Professional Gilbert Water Heater Services
Despite changing the temperature around, if your hot water supply is still not adequate, you should call for Gilbert water heater services. Gilbert Plumbers have a team of professionals that can check out your water heating systems. Our trained plumbers can spot any inefficiencies in your heating system and fix them promptly. This will ensure that your hot water supply isn’t impacted at all!