What is a Good Water Heater Temperature

Many water heaters are preset to 140 degrees. This is a good heat range given that the bacteria, legionella, are not able to increase and nearly all cannot live in such scorching temperatures. Even so, 140 degrees may be too hot for small children and the elderly. If one is attempting to save money as well, consider changing the water temp to around 120 and 130 degrees. The cost savings is not incredibly significant, but this is the lowest advised heat to avoid contaminating water with legionella. While this bacteria is alright to consume, it could be extremely unsafe when taken into the lungs. Legionella lives and multiplies in warm water but not in hot water. However, when thinking about what heat range to set ones water heater to, it is important not to set it too high. 2nd and 3rd degree burns can happen on adult skin in 5 seconds under the preset temp of 140 degrees, so never set the water temp any higher and think about setting it lower if there are little ones or elderly people in the household. Check out this article to find out more about the legionella bacteria and how to choose the right water heater temperature setting. Learn more about water heater repairs here.