Electric Hot Water Heater Thermostat Settings

An electric hot water heater has two thermostats controlling two separate heating elements one in the upper half of the tank one in the lower half.

Electric hot water heater thermostat settings.

By kenneth crawford updated october 30 2017 an electric water heater has two thermostats located under access panels on the side of the tank. Hot water heater settings are easy to adjust although electric heaters will require a screwdriver and possibly a small wrench or socket. If you turn the hot water tap and cold water runs out then the upper thermostat is damaged. Here this temperature level is the choice which has minimal chance for a danger.

According to the u s. Too little hot water. When you check your electric water heater you will notice two thermostats on the unit one at the top and one at the bottom. I m guessing that setting your top thermostat to a 150 would give you small amount of really hot water rather quickly while setting the upper and lower thermostats evenly to a moderate temperature 115 125 would be your quickest way to get a full tank of hot water.

Why is following this temperature standard important. How to set temperature on a gas water heater. This thermostat is meant to be set once and left alone usually the factory settings are suitable. Department of energy for each 10 degree reduction in water temperature you can save between 3 and 5 percent in energy costs.

Each of these devices controls two different heating elements. 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. Keep in mind that the thermostat is factory preset to a recommended temperature and changing the setting may increase the potential for serious burns. Based on the department of energy in us the best temperature setting which you should choose is at 120 degrees.

See the article troubleshooting electric water heaters for a complete listing of all of the problems related to an electric water heater. Water heaters are set from the factory to heat water to a maximum of 120 degrees fahrenheit. 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.

And most tankless water heaters feature a display with a temperature readout and controls. Setting the water to a higher temperature increases the risk of scalding.