changing water heater temp setting?

17 years ago

We had a new gas water heater installed in November. It's a good one, though I can't recall any details at the moment. My shower (first of the day, usually around 6:30 am) is never hot enough. I turn on the hot all the way and the cold about a quarter turn. Many mornings I have turned the cold off even more by the end of my shower.

The pipes need to be insulated (old house, old pipes). In the meantime, we've been turning the temperature down when we are done about 2 notches in the morning, then turning it back up at night. My preferred "normal" setting right now is about halfway between the average mark (120 degrees?) and HOT. Is this bad for the wh? Is it even saving us anything?

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

frodo_2009
17 years ago
HI>>>>
Do you happen to have a thermoniter, for cooking?
put it under the hot water, at the sink while the hot is
running. document the reading. now, go to your shower, the
one thats bothering you. is the reading within a couple of
degrees? Or is it way off? The problem might be your scald
guard/mixing valve. Do you have one?
what make and model of valve? A simple adjustment, will
take care of the problem. I do not know the model/make
so...look behind the handle, for adjustment..
and go online with the make/model of the valve. and find
your directions for changing da temp
blackcats13
Original Author
17 years ago
Oh wow! Thanks so very much! I will do that today. I would not be surprised at all if that is the problem as the sink always seems to be hotter than the shower.
Related Professionals
Selma General Contractors · Indianapolis General Contractors · Waterloo General Contractors · Duluth General Contractors · Minneapolis General Contractors · Kenosha General Contractors · Superior General Contractors · Yuma General Contractors · Garden City General Contractors · Pullman General Contractors · Shreveport Home Remodeling · Rolla Home Remodeling · Nashville Home Remodeling · Amarillo Home Remodeling · Provo Home Remodeling
blackcats13
Original Author
17 years ago
I was so excited. Just measured the bath, bathroom sink, and kitchen sink. All hit around 127 after about 45 seconds. I felt the water and that feels about how hot it gets, maybe a little more. I turned up the wh about 3 hours ago. No significant water usage yet today. So is the turning up and down a bad thing?
daveplumber
17 years ago
wellyou can turn it up all you want it wont hurt the htr none lol,but your showervalve prob has a water limit set take off handle and adjust it so you can get hotter water to your shower good luck
frodo_2009
17 years ago
did you not understand...the tub valve...
has a scald guard/water mixing valve,,,it has set points
that mix cold water into the hot, before it comes out the hot side of the valve..the TUB SET POINTS.need to be adjusted...not the water heater.
did you ever put the therometer under the hot water in the tub???
blackcats13
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks Dave, I wasn't worried about turning up the heat so much as turning it up and down every 12 hours or so, down when we leave in the morning, and back up before going to bed, back and forth every day =D

Frodo, I think I understood, but plumbing is something I know nothing about. Above I wrote "Just measured the bath, bathroom sink, and kitchen sink. All hit around 127 after about 45 seconds. " Is that not what you meant?
heimert
17 years ago
Water heaters are designed to operate within the adjustment range. You should be fine. It's probably obvious, but if you run it hotter, you use more energy (and run a scalding risk). If you run it colder, your showers are cold. You have to find the right spot.