How to set the temperature of an electric water heater.

This article series describes the various controls used on different types of water heaters and explains how each control is used to set domestic hot water temperature.

How to adjust hot water temperature

To adjust the temperature of your domestic hot water supply (for washing and bathing) up (hotter) or down (cooler) we need first to know how hot water is made in your building.

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If you don't see your water heater type in this list, post a question at the end of this page along with a photo of your water heater.

• WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENT CONTROLS - you are on this page
• ELECTRIC HOT WATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
• ELECTRIC SHOWER HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
• GAS HOT WATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
• INDIRECT HOT WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
• MANUAL HOT WATER TEMPERATURE CONTROLS
• OIL HOT WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
• POINT OF USE HOT WATER TEMPERATURE CONTROLS
• RANGE BOILER HOT WATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
• SIDE ARM COIL HOT WATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
• SOLAR HOT WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
• TANKLESS COIL HOT WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
• TANKLESS HOT WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL

Electric Water Heater Temperature Control

On an electric water heater or calorifier there will be one, or as in our photo, two electric heating elements.

On a two-heating-element electric water heater, there may be just one temperature control thermostat, found at the upper heating element, or on some electric water heaters, both the upper and the lower heating element have their own individual thermostat.

How will you know where all of the electric water heater thermostatic controls are located?

Look.

The actual controls and heating elements are hidden behind two removable cover panels pointed-to in our photo.

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Watch out: when these covers are removed you will find (possibly covered first by an insulating panel) not only the heating element and temperature control thermostat but also live electrical connections.

If electrical power to the heater has not been turned OFF and if you touch one of these connections you can be shocked or killed.

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Here is what the electric water heater thermostat looks-like.

Watch out: The temperature setting on this water heater, turned by a flat-bladed screwdriver, has been set to 150°F - which risks scalding burns.

If you are going to set the temperature right at the electric water heater to a number above 120°F then because there is a risk of scalding burns, you should make use of one or more anti-scalding devices.

See details about the devices used to set temperature at an electric water heater found at

• ANTI SCALD VALVES & TEMPERATURE CONTROL / MIXING VALVES
• ELECTRIC WATER HEATER CONTROLS
• ELECTRIC WATER HEATER HIGH TEMP CUTOFF
• ELECTRIC WATER HEATER THERMOSTATS - adjust or reset the temperature control

If your electric water heater provides hot water only during certain times of the day, then a timer may be installed - illustrated below.

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Check the water heater timer: Some electric water heaters are installed with a timer (photographs above) that saves electricity costs by turning off the heater during periods when no one will be using hot water.

If a timer is installed for your heater, it might be in its "off" position. Instructions for setting the water heater timer are inside the timer cover.

See details at TIMERS for ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2017-01-09 by (mod) - Can I turn my electric water heater off for 2 months?

Yes; we often turn off our electric water heater when it's going to be out of use for months.

Turning off the electric water heater won't damage it.

But in fact the stand-by losses and electricity usage level will be pretty low even if the heater is left "on" when no one is using hot water.

Watch out: when you return home and before turning the water heater back on, check for evidence of leaks and run "hot" water at a nearby tap to be sure that the water heater is in fact full of water.

Turning on an electric water heater, if its heating elements are not completely submerged in water, will result in an immediate burn-out of the heating elements: you'll then have no hot water.

I inspected a home in upstate New York that was totally destroyed by a combination of hot water leakage and mold when the home was left un-attended for months. So turning off water entirely is a step in protecting a home from burst pipe water damage when it's un-occupied.

Watch out: however where building heat is by a hot water or steam boiler, the water supply to that equipment must be left "ON" when the heating system will be be in use.

On 2017-01-09 by Anonymous

Can I turn my electric water heater off for 2 months?

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Continue reading at ELECTRIC WATER HEATER CONTROLS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• ALTERNATIVE HOT WATER SOURCES
• HOT WATER PRESSURE IMPROVEMENT - hot water flow or pressure is too weak
• HOT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT - not enough hot water
• HOT WATER TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENT
• PRESSURE & TEMPERATURE SETTINGS, CONTROLS for temperature control of building heating systems using hot water or steam
• WATER HEATER COMPARISONS, PROPERTIES
• WATER HEATER MANUALS - home
• WATER HEATER SAFETY
• WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENT CONTROLS - home
  • ANTI SCALD VALVES & TEMPERATURE CONTROL / MIXING VALVES
  • ANTI-SCALD TEMPERING VALVES, MANUAL
  • ANTI-SCALD VALVES, POINT OF USE
  • ELECTRIC HOT WATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
  • ELECTRIC SHOWER HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
  • ELECTRIC WATER HEATER HIGH TEMP CUTOFF
  • ELECTRIC WATER HEATER THERMOSTATS
  • MIXING / ANTI-SCALD VALVES
  • POINT OF USE HOT WATER TEMPERATURE CONTROLS
  • RELIEF VALVE, WATER HEATER
  • SCALDING TEMPERATURES & TIMESL
  • TANKLESS HOT WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL
  • WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE TOO COLD or TOO HOT

Suggested citation for this web page

ELECTRIC HOT WATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER HEATERS

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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