How To Adjust Heat On Electric Water Heater

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Common cold water can be an inconvenience while bathing, washing dishes, or doing chores around your house. If you consistently notice cooler water temperatures, yous may need to turn up your water heater's temperature. While adjusting a gas or electric water heater requires conscientious hands and an understanding of the parts, information technology can be a simple ready. Equally long as you take precautions while handling your water heater, you should exist able to adapt the temperature quickly.

1
Put out whatsoever other open flames before adjusting the gas water heater. Natural gas is flammable and, while you should not come in direct contact with the gas, safe is better than sorry. Avoid using candles, cigarettes, or other open flames in the home while you're adjusting the water heater.
- You practice not demand to plow off the gas while adjusting the water temperature.
2

Locate the dial on the front of the water heater. This is the gas control valve. It is usually a black or ruby knob with 2 sides: warm and hot. In some cases, it might also take notches on the side to clearly mark these temperature options.^[1] ^[2]

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3

Twist the dial from the warm to the hot side. Practice not plow the dial completely to hot. First, move it slightly towards hot from where it was earlier. If the temperature is moved completely to hot, the water may scald your hand. You can ever motion it further towards hot afterward on, if needed.^[three]
4
Wait iii hours, and then check the water temperature. Wait at least 3 hours earlier you check the h2o temperature again so it has time to heat. If the water temperature is notwithstanding besides low, or it feels too cool, conform the gas control valve once again.^[4]
- Avoid raising the temperature above 120 °F (49 °C) to prevent serious burns.^[5]

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1
Turn off the water heater circuit breakers. Locate your domicile'south circuit board at the electrical box. Because most water heaters use nearly 240 Volts of electricity, you should need to switch off 2 breakers. Consult the location sheet on the within of the panel for details—if they are unlisted, turn off all of the panels to be safe.^[6]
- Never adapt the electric water heater without turning off the circuit breakers. To forestall electrocution, contact an electrician if you're not sure how to turn off the breakers.
2
Remove the heater's access panels. The access console(s) should await like rectangular boxes on the front of the water heater. Water panels accept either single or double admission panels, so pry open 1 or both to attain the panel's inner controls.^[7]
- Well-nigh panels practise not need a screwdriver to be opened. Your hands should be plenty.
3
Remove the insulation to find the thermostat. You should detect a thin padding of insulation between the thermostat and the access panels. Take out all of the insulation to get a clearer look at the thermostat and enhance the temperature every bit needed.^[8]
- Store the insulation somewhere safe—it will demand to go dorsum in the water heater to keep the thermostat temperature accurate.
iv
Adjust the thermostat to a higher temperature. Near thermostats are turned via a spiral in the middle. Identify a flat tip screwdriver into the screw and turn information technology several notches higher. Enhance the thermostat temperature no higher than 120 °F (49 °C) to forbid burns.
- The thermostat should testify temperatures from about 90 °F (32 °C) to 150 °F (66 °C), though 120 °F (49 °C) is the recommended maximum.^[9]
- Fifty-fifty if there are two panels, there should just exist 1 thermostat. The number of panels more has to do with the water heater's design, every bit both panels should open up to the same thermostat.
5

Close up the panels and wait to test the water. Put the insulation back into the heater and close one or both panels. When you're ready to check the water temperature, plough the power back on. Look at least three hours before checking the water and evaluate: if information technology still reads or feels too low, arrange the temperature over again.^[ten]

1

Run the hot water for three-5 minutes. Choose the sink nearest to your hot h2o heater and allow it run for at to the lowest degree 3 minutes. For the start few minutes, any water running out of the sink volition have already been in the pipes. It needs to clear out earlier yous test the water heater and so yous tin can become an authentic reading.^[11]
two

Utilize a candy or cooking thermometer to test the water temperature. Put the water in a bowl or cup and take its temperature immediately. Leave the thermometer in the water for at least 20-30 seconds to get a trustworthy reading.^[12]
3
Record the temperature number. While cold h2o is a trouble, you besides don't want your water temperature to be too hot. If information technology reaches anywhere above 120 °F (49 °C), you run the take chances of sustaining burns. Consult the following numbers to see the relationship between temperature and how long it will accept to produce serious burns:^[13]
- 120 °F (49 °C): 5+ minutes
- 125–130 °F (52–54 °C): 60-120 seconds
- 130–140 °F (54–60 °C): five-30 seconds
- 140–150 °F (60–66 °C): i-five seconds
- 150–160 °F (66–71 °C): one-1 ane/2 seconds
- 160 °F (71 °C) or in a higher place: Immediately
4

Check over again in about 3 hours, if needed. If the reading is too low or likewise high, re-arrange the h2o heater as needed and check the temperature again in iii hours. The water heater will need time to change its internal temperature and warm or cool the water to the right temperature.^[xiv]

Add together New Question

Question

How high can y'all turn up a hot water heater?

Dave Jones
Main Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & H2o Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a drain service technician at the age of 18. Since then, he has risen through the ranks into positions of increasing authority. Dave served every bit general managing director of Roto-Rooter's Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches before being promoted to Contractor Area Manager and later to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Master Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Principal Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Expert Answer

Information technology depends on the water heater and how many dial settings they have. Even so, you lot never want to exceed 120 F. That's the temperature where you're really going to burn yourself.
Question

What if I want to set the water to a custom setting?

Dave Jones
Main Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a bleed service technician at the age of 18. Since and so, he has risen through the ranks into positions of increasing authority. Dave served as general manager of Roto-Rooter's Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches before existence promoted to Contractor Area Manager and later to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Principal Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Expert Reply

Unfortunately, you can't. The punch settings on your water heater are the but options you'll have available. If you have 4 settings on the dial, you've got iv options for the temperature.
Question

Is it condom for me to modify the temperature on an electric h2o heater?

Dave Jones
Main Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a drain service technician at the age of xviii. Since so, he has risen through the ranks into positions of increasing authorisation. Dave served as general manager of Roto-Rooter's Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches before being promoted to Contractor Area Manager and subsequently to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Master Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, Northward Carolina, and Georgia.

Master Plumber, Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Skilful Reply

Yep, although you do need to shut the power to the water heater off before you make the aligning. Also, brand sure that you lot adjust both the upper and lower thermostats to the same temperature and put the insulation back earlier you reattach the panels.
Question

Will turning upwardly a thermostat on a water heater cause the water to heat faster to a set temperature?

Sealweasel

Community Respond

Yes, the thermostat controls how hot the water is. Be very conscientious though, considering hot water can scald or burn you, so information technology'southward best yous don't try to adjust it unless yous know what yous're doing. The least hot temperature is the safest, and then go along it at that setting.

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Call a plumber if yous oft get common cold water and accept adjusted your water heater many times. It may be damaged or broken.

Be careful while adjusting your water heater. Never touch or move any open wires. If you exercise not feel confident in handling your h2o heater, call a plumber.
If your water heater is wet or in a pool of water, exercise not impact it. Call a plumber, who can and so appraise the damage and danger.

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Things You'll Demand

Flat tip Screwdriver
Candy or cooking thermometer

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Commodity Summary X

To plough up a gas hot h2o heater, start past putting out any open up flame sources in the house, such as cigarettes or candles, since natural gas is flammable. Then, locate the gas control valve on the front of the heater and turn the dial slightly toward the "hot" side. Later on 3 hours, exam the temperature to encounter if information technology's hot enough. If not, plow the punch again until the h2o reaches the desired temperature. To acquire how to turn upwards an electric h2o heater, keep reading!

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