Electric Hot Water Heater Thermostat Settings

Each of these devices controls two different heating elements.

Electric hot water heater thermostat settings.

According to the u s. Setting the water to a higher temperature increases the risk of scalding. If you have never adjusted your hot water heater temperature it s most likely set on the default setting for most manufacturers of hot water heaters which is 140 degrees fahrenheit. For instance the water heater settings abc is the most common setting which you can check on your water heater.

This thermostat is meant to be set once and left alone usually the factory settings are suitable. If you turn the hot water tap and cold water runs out then the upper thermostat is damaged. Department of energy recommends setting a tank based hot water heater to 120 degrees fahrenheit. Although manufacturer s usually set water heaters at 140 degrees f you can reduce your carbon footprint and save money by adjusting your water heater thermostat.

And most tankless water heaters feature a display with a temperature readout and controls. Here this temperature level is the choice which has minimal chance for a danger. Hot water heater settings are easy to adjust although electric heaters will require a screwdriver and possibly a small wrench or socket. Not sure if this is your problem.

Based on the department of energy in us the best temperature setting which you should choose is at 120 degrees. Electric water heaters often have two thermostats one at the top and another at the bottom of the tank. By kenneth crawford updated october 30 2017 an electric water heater has two thermostats located under access panels on the side of the tank. See the article troubleshooting electric water heaters for a complete listing of all of the problems related to an electric water heater.

Why is following this temperature standard important. Department of energy for each 10 degree reduction in water temperature you can save between 3 and 5 percent in energy costs. When you check your electric water heater you will notice two thermostats on the unit one at the top and one at the bottom. Keep in mind that the thermostat is factory preset to a recommended temperature and changing the setting may increase the potential for serious burns.

How to set temperature on a gas water heater. Water heaters are set from the factory to heat water to a maximum of 120 degrees fahrenheit.