If you are wondering if you can turn your water heater up to make the hot water last longer we can answer that question.
The answer is yes, turning up your water heater will make your hot water last longer because of the higher temperature; less hot water is needed to mix with the cold water to reach your desired temperature.
If you are thinking about turning your water heater up, I do feel the need to tell you that it is OK in most cases, but here are some things to consider before doing so.
Does Your Water Heater Need To Be Repaired Instead Of Turning The Temperature Up?
What is the reason for turning your water heater up, and does it need to be repaired instead?
If you are experiencing that you are running out of hot water noticeably quicker than usual but still have hot water, then turning the temperature setting up is not recommended; instead, it probably needs to be repaired.
After the repairs are made, reassess the situation throughout the next couple of days. This scenario with suddenly have less hot water; in other words, you still have hot water. Still, it’s noticeably less than usual. It is a problem that electrical water heaters have and should be expected to eventually happen to all-electric water heaters because of the nature of the heating source.
The other side of that coin is a gas water heater; while this scenario can happen to a gas water heater from a faulty or failing dip tube (L dip Tubes), it’s not likely or doesn’t happen often. Usually, gas water heaters either have hot water or do not, except for the dip tube issue.
Is It Safe To Turn Up My Water Heater Temperature?
In most cases, it is safe to turn your water heater up a few degrees. But do not turn it up too much at once and always use caution. Most water heaters come pre-set at 120 degrees which is recommended by the Consumer Product Safety (CPC).
If you’re not haven’t issues with your water heater and repairs aren’t needed, the second thing to consider before turning the temp up on your water heater is your loved ones’ and friends’ safety. You’ll need to make sure that everyone knows and is familiar with the higher temp setting because it only takes a few seconds to cause pretty severe burns. When small children are involved, the scalding risk needs to be looked at with special attention.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPC), exposure to water temperatures of 150-degrees for as little as two seconds could cause third-degree burns, 140-degree water for only six seconds, and even exposure to 130-degree water for thirty seconds could cause third-degree burns.
How To Safely Have Hotter Water In A Home With Small Children
If your children’s bathroom is fed by the water heater you want to turn up, you may take steps to make a safer environment for your children. Below are two reasons you might want hotter water and what steps may be taken to ensure safety.
If you want higher water temperatures at certain fixtures in your home but not your children’s bathrooms you’ll need to install a thermostatic mixing valve under each sink or fixture they may have access to set at 120 degrees or less and also adjust the build-in mixing valve that most all tub/shower valves have nowadays. To gain access to adjust the build-in scald protector on most tub/shower valves, you’ll need to remove the main handle with a small Allen wrench and adjust accordingly.
If you are turning it up so that the hot water lasts longer, the best option would be to install one larger thermostatic mixing valve on top of the water heater. This will provide all fixtures through-out the house with the same water temperature. So let’s say you turn the water heater up to 140 degrees, which is not safe for children or the elderly, and then set the thermostatic mixing valve on the top of the heater at 120 degrees. This allows you to turn a 50-gallon water heater into accentually a 65-75 gallon heater without the risk of someone getting scalded.