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Why 120F is The Perfect Water Heater Temperature

water heater temperature

Do you know the current setting on your hot water heater’s thermostat? Don’t worry, if you don’t know the hot water heater temperature in your home, you are not alone.

In fact, most people don’t know what their home’s water heater temperature is and have never adjusted the settings on their hot water heater’s thermostat.

However, there are a number of benefits that come from having the right water heater temperature. As a result, checking it and adjusting it is a simple yet important task that you don’t want to skip. We suggest setting your water heater temperature at 120F.

Today we’ll tell you a few of the reasons that we believe this is the perfect temperature. We hope that after reading this post you’ll be inspired to check and adjust your hot water heater temperature right away!

The Ability to Fight Bacteria

fightsbacteriaYou don’t think about your hot water heater as a place that bacteria can grow and develop, but the reality is that standing warm water can be the perfect spot for bacteria to grow. As you might imagine, this is something that you want to avoid, as it can create a number of health problems for your family.

Thankfully, it’s an easy problem to avoid. By setting your hot water heater at 120F, the water will be too hot for bacteria to grow. Keeping your water this hot will effectively kill off any bacteria and completely eliminate this health concern.

The Problem With Standard Water Heater Temperatures

waterheatertemperatureFor most hot water heaters, the default temperature is 140F. Obviously, this is plenty hot to kill bacteria, but the reality is that this is too hot.

Water that is 140 degrees presents a burning risk. Water this hot can be scalding and is especially concerning if you have children in your house. Plus, by keeping your hot water temperature higher than needed, you will waste energy and money, as it causes an increase in utility bills.

In contrast, water that is 120 degrees is adequately hot for all of your bathing, cooking and cleaning needs. Keeping it at this temperature will give you plenty of warmth without the added risks, waste and expense of unnecessarily hot water.

Plenty of Available Water

availablewaterWhat’s even better is that keeping your hot water heater temperature at 120F will give your family plenty of access to hot water without any waiting time.

No one wants to wait for a hot shower or for hot water to do the dishes. By having the proper temperature setting, you can ensure that your family gets plenty of hot water without any long waiting periods. That’s a benefit that we can all appreciate!

If you don’t know the setting on your hot water heater, check it today to ensure that it’s set at 120F. If you have any questions about how to do this or need any help with your hot water heater, call S and J Plumbing today at (847) 890-1599.