Hot water heater

[suck my wake]

The reason I asked was that we had ours replaced today. The installer set it at 120. Since I don’t have any children in the house I was thinking about bumping that up a little.

Live on the edge. Bump it up a little.

[CaymasMan250]

Two 50 gallon units, both set in 140. Kids are grown, wife likes hot water for dishes and I like hot shower.

[191 champ]

Both are set to 120 degrees ... all the way down.
Keeps the bill lower and the danger as well.

What he said. Unless you are running out of hot water when talking a shower or whatever, why would you ever increase the temperature? Unless you want to sanitize your dishes by hand, 120 should be enough for normal cleaning and many dishwashers have built in heaters to raise the temperature even more. Everything else that that I can think of requires a mix of hot and cold. So why waste money maintaining a higher temperature? I don't get it.

[TampaJim]

What he said. Unless you are running out of hot water when talking a shower or whatever, why would you ever increase the temperature? Unless you want to sanitize your dishes by hand, 120 should be enough for normal cleaning and many dishwashers have built in heaters to raise the temperature even more. Everything else that that I can think of requires a mix of hot and cold. So why waste money maintaining a higher temperature? I don't get it.

I'm still scratching my head over the tandem 50G setups.
I'd turn off the hot water on someone after 10 minutes.
My dishwasher and washing machine have heating elements.
Much less expensive than heating a water tank 24/7.

My next upgrade will be solar hot water, good savings.

[grandbassslayer]

I'm still scratching my head over the tandem 50G setups.
I'd turn off the hot water on someone after 10 minutes.
My dishwasher and washing machine have heating elements.
Much less expensive than heating a water tank 24/7.

My next upgrade will be solar hot water, good savings.

Whats the upfront cost on solar?

[rboren]

120 here

[Walkabout7781]

Talked to the installer when he put our latest one in a couple years ago. Got the lecture about getting a CO alarm for each floor, etc., before the inspector came by to check the installation. I think he said he set it at 140F maybe, but at least he said he set it where he was required to set it, and if I wanted to bump it up, "here's the dial".

When I just now looked at the dial, it says "Warm, Hot and Very Hot" with some hashmarks between each. I know we tried it where he set it, and I bumped it up one notch. It's on "Hot" now. Our city water is pretty decently cool all summer and cold as heck in Winter. It comes from an Aquafer, whatever that is. The mixer knob on the shower is set much the same as I always set it with previous "cold water heaters", FYI.

[Elite203]

Tankless set to 120 and you don't need any hotter and you will never run out of water.

[spinningreel]

Tankless, 133.

[zelmo]

Many call them hot water heaters. Do a search. This from a local energy company:

Is it time to repair or replace your hot water heater?


As one of the most important home comfort systems, you need to be sure that your hot water heater is always running efficiently and effectively. Hot water heaters have a life span of about 10 years, depending on usage. But electric heaters tend to last a little longer than natural gas systems. A hot water heater will demonstrate signs that it may be time to have it repaired or replaced. Below we cover some topics to help you determine if your hot heater may be at that point.
Signs alerting you that it may be time to repair or replace your hot water heater:

• If water or utility bills are rising or if it feels like you need to wait a longer time to get hot water.
• Does hot water appear rusty? This indicates hot water tank issues. However, if cold water looks rusty, it’s more likely that the problem is with your pipes.
• While ticking and other noises can be normal for any hot water heater, strange and new noises, like banging and knocking, are strong signs that the heater is ready for replacement.
• If you’ve made repairs lately and the above issues are still a problem, it’s probably time for a new heater vs wasting money on costly, ineffective repairs.

Troubleshooting with your hot water heater.

If your water heater is younger than 10 years old and you run into some minor problems, there are a few things you can check before calling for help:

• Electric water heaters – If it stops working, always check the break panel first to determine if a breaker hasn’t tripped or if a fuse hasn’t blown. Also, check to ensure that the thermostat hasn’t been lowered accidentally.
• Natural gas water heaters – Also check to make sure the thermostat is set correctly. If water isn’t heating, there may be an issue with the pilot light which should ALWAYS be worked on by a professional. A technician can flush the tank to clear sediment as another troubleshooting step.

To learn more about hot water heater repair or replacement, call your local Leffler Energy team.

[JTN]

140 in the summer, outdoor wood boiler in the winter 150-155ish. Raised three kids,no problems teaching them hot means HOT.

[fishnfool38]

I'm still scratching my head over the tandem 50G setups.
I'd turn off the hot water on someone after 10 minutes.
My dishwasher and washing machine have heating elements.
Much less expensive than heating a water tank 24/7.

My next upgrade will be solar hot water, good savings.

That would get a knot on your head around my house!
I install and have tankless, I set them at their max 120. I can override it but I see no reason its safer for my grandchildren and elderly.

[Tx Champ]

Single electric 50 gal set at 140. Just me and the wife at home. Grand kids are old enough not to scald themselves, but our granddaughter likes loooong showers when she comes, so the extra temp prolongs the hot water when we have company.

[1stindoor]

120. Never needed it hotter. Almost empty nesters now, so there's always plenty...besides I prefer a cold shower.

[572 Fitter]

To where I can take a shower with the hot water only

[218_fishing]

Just checked mine at home 140 with one 3 year old.