If the hot water coming out of your faucet or shower head is suddenly scalding hot – that’s a warning sign that something has gone wrong with your water heater. Usually it means that the water heater is overheating which could eventually lead to a leak or worse – the water heater could explode.
The 3 main issues in your water heater that could be causing scalding hot water are…
- A broken thermostat. Check your water heater’s thermostat to make sure it’s set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If, for some reason it’s higher, go ahead and lower it and see if that solves the problem. If it does not – contact a plumber right away.
- Heater element has broken down. It’s important to call in a professional plumber to replace a broken heater element on your water heater.
- Build up of minerals. If you have not been periodically flushing your hot water heater (or if you have severe problems with hard water) then it’s very likely that alot of minerals and sediment have built up at the bottom of your water heater causing it to function poorly and overheat.
Our strong recommendation is that as soon as you detect scalding hot water coming out of your plumbing system – you must contact a plumber immediately to assess what is the cause and to correct the problem.
How Hot Is Too Hot For Hot Water?
You do not want the hot water coming out of your faucet or shower head to be higher than 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Ideally, it should be no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit but some individuals do like a very hot, steamy shower and are able to tolerate those extra 20 degrees of heat.
What Is A Safe Hot Water Temperature?
Scalding hot water can cause some serious burns especially to children and older adults.
Your hot water heater should be set at (or below) 120 degrees Fahrenheit which would give you a maximum water temperature of about 100 degrees Fahrenheit when you shower, bath or are simply washing your hands under your faucet.
Every individual will have a different level of tolerance as to the temperature they are able to tolerate their hot water.
Be aware that children and older adults are more susceptible to hot water and if the person has issues with neuropathy they may not be able to feel how hot the water is and could potentially suffer from serious burns to their skin as a consequence.
Ignoring a leaky hot water heater will only eventually result in a full blown “mini flood” from the water heater itself. Which in turn will damage any surrounding area and objects.
If you have any questions or problems with your hot water plumbing, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-505-8570. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.