Water Heater Thermostat settings ?

[Oren]

Set up a web cam, I want to watch this video.

:-/

[Jon Danniken]

When I was a child we didn't have all of these silly nanny-minded safety measures, and we turned out fine. If you are stupid, or clumsy, you get burnt. If you fail to learn the lesson, you are probably too stupid to deserve to live anyway.

This is the way it has always been, and by changing this, we are doing a dis-service to future generations of humans.

Jon

[clare]

For health reasond ALL water heaters should be set to 150F or higher. Below that Legionella thrive and you can catch legionaires disease in the shower. Use a tempering valve if you want to limit the temperature in your pipes (required by law in a lot of areas)

[clare]

NOT all dishwashers have auxilliary heaters. Only the better ones with sanitizer.

[norminn]

I've never heard of anyone getting Legionnaire's Disease from a home water system or from showering....if it is growing in home water heaters with temps below 150, there should be a hell of a lot of people getting it.

With young children or elderly people, I would not keep the temp higher than about 115.

[norminn]

The heat of the water in washing dishes doesn't have much to do with disease prevention...mainly the mechanical cleaning action and not using sponges, cloths or towels that are growing bacteria.

[Oren]

Certainly. You have to know how to mount a seat in an outhouse. You could fall in. What was a swimming class, in those days? Thrown into the lake - SWIM!

Way back then children handled guns, drove at 14 years of age or even owned a first car at 12 or 14. You could drive at night with the 16 year old sister in the car (licensed sister).

Kids today never lived before in-door plumbing.

[krw]

That's not very good logic.

I'd keep it at 140F, but I tended to teach the kid basic safety. In fact when he was a kid our hot water came directly out of the furnace at closer to 180F.

[Steve Barker]

no they don't.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Actually, I know someone that had it last year and yes, the water system was supposed to be the culprit. I did not see the results first hand though.

[clare]

There have been reports in the news lately about a study done in Quebec, I believe - and the incidence is much higher than you may want to believe.

[terry]

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D If the choice is a very low 115 deg. as the chosen temp. recommend top thermosta be set at that. Game over; any other consequences being the OPs responsibility. Bottom one same or lower.

BUT, one has to comment and that's where anyone can benefit from the opinions/knowledge and comments of this goup!

Otherwise why even bother to ask?

Comment:

Our Dept. of Health recommends that hot water for dish washing be around 160 dgrees. F. And during school kitchen inspections they will often measure it!

Domestically our dishes are washed in a dishwasher which does several washings and rinsings. AFIK it also heats the water further again to achieve a certain safe temperature.

But setting a water heater too low may achieve no economy? For example, when showering/bathing one adjust the total water temperature for self. If the hot water is hotter, one uses less of it and/or more cold. So the end result is the same; a certain total amount of the mixed hot/cold water.

Also there can be concerns about not having the water hot enough to kill certain bacteria, which could perhaps get into the tank once and then continue to breed/multiply in there.

IMO the difference in the amount of heat lost, from a well insulated hot water tank whether it is set to say 160 F or 120 F degrees is minimal. The cost, at most, being a few pennies/cents per day.

Regarding 115 deg. F whether top versus bottom thermostat or not. Fifty gallons is quite lot of hot water unless it's boarding house/ large family etc. In that case maybe the OP could set the upper at 115 and turn the bottom one as low as possible, maybe even off? .

[krw]

Hot water does a far better job of cleaning (bacteria off) the dishes.

[Red Green]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

So what do YOU do about all water consumed that does not go through the water heater? Piping hot lemonaid? Icemaker conected to hot water side? You take a 150 degree shower with no cold water? Brush teeth and rinse with 150 degree water?

[PeterD]

You are a moron, right? Children sometimes do things that for an adult are "Stupid, or clumsy" as you put it. This includes turning on the hot water without considering the effects, and being unable to turn it off.

So go pour yourself a really hot bath, and soak your head.

[PeterD]

Can you post a URL to one that doesn't? Uh, a mechanical/electric one, not your wife, that is...

[PeterD]

This clause will not stand in court. Disclaimer of liability are not valid in contracts, or as signs, or anywhere else. What you need is an enforcable "assumption of liability" which you won't be able to do--a person who rents does not have the financial ability to assume liability, so you will then be named in the suit too. If there is a law stating it must be 120 degrees, regardless of the law you would also be held responsible. Were I to give you legal advice (I'm not doing so) I'd suggest setting them to 120 degrees as the rules say, and if the tennant complains, give them the names and addresses of their local representatives in the (state?) government... Simply explain you have no option.

Yep, that sign in the parking lot: "We cannot be held liable for..." is worthless! One cannot disclaim liability.

Geeze, wish I could do that! I'm considering solar water heat for summer here in NH however.

[Ralph Mowery]

I keep my water heater around 140 or 150 because I like hot water.

If the Legionnaire's Disease does come from the water heater, what about all the systems that have a storage tank for the well ? All the cold water should be full of the germs. My house has a well and no chemicals are added to the water system. I moved about 5 years ago from where a group of about

10 houses were hooked to a large well and outside storage tank with no chemicals added. Looks like that big storage tank would have been a big breeding ground. Especially in the summer .

[Ed Pawlowski]

"Ralph Mowery" wrote

You want to avoid the growth and activity range.

• 20 to 50 °C (68 to 122 °F): Legionellae growth range

• Below 20 °C (68 °F): Legionellae can survive but are dormant

[Red Green]

Oren wrote in news:p66jo5p2h484qj0l3a1o195f0mh8n8oifc@

4ax.com:

I know you saw this when I originally posted it. Some may have missed it.

Mythbusters Blows Up Water Heater