Ao Smith Gas Water Heater Temperature Adjustment
Follow the below steps to adjust the temperature of your AO Smith Gas Water Heater.
Step 1. Set the Gas Valve To Your Desired Temperature Setting
Locate the gas control knob on the gas valve of the unit. Then, set it to your desired temperature setting. If you set the knob to the Hot setting, it will set the water temperature approximately 120°F. It will reduce the risk of scald injury.
However, you can also choose the high temperature setting to deliver hot water for automatic dishwashers or laundry machines.
Step 2. Adjust Water Heaters Thermostat
Next, what you need to do is- just rotate the gas control knob on the gas control valve to the right and set it any of the following settings:
Keep in mind the temperatures above are approximate and the actual temperature of the heated water may vary.
Step 3. Wait for The Water To Heat Up
Finally, its time to leave your water heater for 2 hours to let the unit heat the water. If you get no hot water from your water heater after two hours, there is something wrong with the unit. In this case, check the manual.
How To Check Your Water Heater Temperature
In case you are not sure whether the hot water temperature set to your unit is in line with contemporary standards or that of your household, a thermometer will be helpful.
The final setting for electric tankless units is between 120 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. You can purchase a candy or meat thermometer at most grocery stores which should be sufficient.
Electric units with a tank will typically reach the maximum temperature when set at H and minimum at L. This is important to know as most tankless heaters will not reach their full potential unless you turn up the dial on the hot water tank itself.
Access The Water Heaters Thermostats
I advise you to check your owners manual to see if you have two thermostats. Most electric water heaters have two thermostats and two heating elements. Each pair has an access panel you need to open using a screwdriver.
Check if the thermostat has an insulating layer that you must also peel off to access the component. Be careful when working with the thermostat, and avoid touching or moving any of the wires.
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Always Be Safe When Adjusting Your Water Heater
We recommend shutting your water heater off at the circuit breaker before making any adjustments, just to be safe and avoid potential shock.
To get the temperature just right, turn the control knob counterclockwise to lower the temperature, or clockwise to increase the temperature. And never turn the control knob past the maximum temperature.
High temperatures have been known to increase the likelihood of scalding after just one second of exposure in fact, the American Burn Association reports that over 300,000 admissions to burn centers and emergency rooms are a result of scalding.
Adjusting Anelectrichot Water Heater Temperature Thermostat Setting
The process of adjusting the temperature thermostat setting on an electric hot water heater is a little more difficult, but still pretty simple. The vast majority of electric water heaters are equipped with two thermostats: an upper and a lower thermostat, both of which are placed beneath two control panels. Setting both thermostats to the same temperature can help to guarantee that your electric water heater operates as effectively as possible. One thing to keep in mind is that some tiny electric hot water heaters only have one thermostat.
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How To Change Your Hot Water Heater Temperature In 6 Steps
Changing your hot water heater temperature is easy. However, before adjusting your hot water heater temperature, you should read our article : Hot Water Temperature: The Danger of Setting Your Water Heater Too Hot because if its set too high, it can cause severe burns. It its set too low, you can have some legionnaires disease developing in the water heater. In addition, if you are not comfortable changing the temperature yourself, we recommend you call a qualified plumber.
Every hot water tank has different panels that allow you to change set the temperature of your tank. Most of the panels are similar and even located in the same general areas no matter what type of water heater you have. Most electric water heaters have two thermostats.
On electric water heaters most have thermostats on the top, and one is on the bottom. Some water heaters have their thermostats behind an insulated control board. Tankless water heaters give you readouts and controls for temperature through a display window.
If you are running out of hot water, the problem can come from somewhere else. We have dedicated an entire blog post about this: No Hot Water? Heres 8 Reasons Why And Quick Way To Fix It.
Save Money By Adjusting Your Water Heater Thermostat
Many manufacturers preset the water heater thermostat at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. However, most homes only need to be set at 120-130 degrees. At 140 degrees, scalding can occur within five seconds however, at 130 degrees, scalding wont happen until just under one minutelong after you or your loved ones have decided its getting hot in here and stepped out of the shower.
Plus, at 125 degrees, water is hot enough for optimum cleaning and for removing bacteria in a dishwasher. And we havent even mentioned the potential savings yet! Eliminating those extra pre-set degrees could lower your water bill by as much as $200 per year! Read more from Energy.gov.
Still having water heater troubles? Call the experts at Sacramento’s own Express Sewer and Drain. If youve got problems with your water heater, we can help!
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Adjust Your Dials Accordingly
Now, all thats left to do is actually adjust your electric water heater. Youll change both of your thermostats to the same setting to appropriately reach your desired temperature. Simply grab a flat head screwdriver and adjust the dials accordingly. Keep in mind that it doesnt take a drastic alteration to get your water hotter- make sure that youre testing these changes to guarantee that your water is at a safe temperature before you reverse the steps and put all of the materials back to how they were before and replace the front cover panels. It will take some time for the water heater to heat up to the new adjustments so be patient. Just like that, youre now a pro when it comes to getting the temperature adjusted on your homes electric water heater!
Electric Tank Water Heaters
The majority of electric water heaters will have two thermostats, one on top and one on the bottom, located beneath the two control panels. The two thermostats on your water heater must be adjusted to the same temperature in order for it to operate most effectively and efficiently. Some smaller units may simply have a single thermostat, which is understandable. To complete this task, the following tools will be required: Screwdriver with a Phillips-head or a flat-head Step 1: Disconnect the power supply to the heater.
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How To Turn Up A Gas Hot Water Heater
As you look for that happy medium, you may need to adjust your hot water heating settings. For some older gas models, its as easy as turning a small dial located near the bottom of the unit. These older units dont have a readout or gauge to let you track the temperature. It might be easier to adjust, but it takes more experimenting because youll have to let the water temperature adjust and then check it at your sink or shower.
Adjusting a more modern gas water heater is just a bit more involved:
Here Are The Pros And Cons:
- Youll never run out of hot water: With a tankless system, you can get unlimited hot water. Its there when you need it, and absent when you dont.
- Theyre more efficient: Tankless heaters are 60-80% efficient traditional tanks are only 40-60% efficient because most of the energy they use is lost as standby heat.
- Theyre easy to install: A tankless unit can be installed where your current tank sits. You may need to upgrade your breaker box, but otherwise, its a straightforward replacement with the same connections and hookups.
- They dont take up much space: Tankless heaters are compact appliances that usually fit in the same space as a traditional water heater.
- There is occasional demand: If you need to run multiple appliances at once, such as a dishwasher and clothes washer or an instant hot-water faucet and a power shower, your tankless system could shut down temporarily until the demand decreases.
- They cost more upfront: Although the price has come down in recent years, a tankless water heater is still going to cost more upfront than a traditional system.
- Theyre pricey to repair: If something goes wrong with your tankless unit, it can be expensive to get it fixed. A traditional water heater is usually cheaper to maintain or replace if necessary.
- If youre considering a tankless system, be sure to include your hot water usage habits and patterns when making your decision.
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Adjusting The Temperature Of Your Hot Water Heater
Unlike repairing a water heater, adjusting it is a simple task that generally doesnt require calling in the experts.
To make adjustments, locate the temperature control knob that is connected to the water heater heat source youll typically find this on the front of the water heater, toward the bottom. Most temperature adjusters are red and easily spotted, with numbers and lines much like an oven knob.
Directly above the knob, youll find a small black arrow it lines up with the marking on the control knob itself. This indicates the current temperature . It may also have specific settings notated with different colored lines .
On some water heaters, such as low boys that may be in your closet, the thermostat may be located behind a metal panel. This can easily be unscrewed. After making the adjustment, just be sure not to screw it in too tightly, as you don’t want to damage the metal.
Where Is The Water Heater Temperature Control Knob Located
If you need to adjust the temperature on your water heater, youll need to find the temperature control knob. This is usually located near the bottom of the water heater. For example, on a gas water heater, the knob is usually located on the side of the unit. On an electric water heater, the knob is usually located on the front of the unit. Once youve found the knob, turn it to the left to decrease the temperature or to the right to increase the temperature.
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Other Considerations: Water Heater Thermostat Setting Safety
Shut down the water heaters electric circuit. Finding your circuit breaker and shutting off the electricity in the area surrounding your water heater are two ways to do this. Find the thermostat on your water heater and set them to the appropriate temperature. A control panel that is screwed to the wall usually houses these components. Remove the access panel lid using a screwdriver by pressing down on it . To access the thermostat, you may have to remove the insulation from your heater if it is insulated.
Once the control panel has been removed, you may alter the temperature knobs to make the room hotter or colder according on your preferences in terms of temperatures.
Reinstall the control panel covers with your screwdriver, and then replace the screws.
After a few hours, check your hot water temperature again .
Continue to follow the above instructions until the water temperature reaches the intended setting if it still does not, repeat them until the temperature is at the desired setting.
How To Determine Your Water Heater Temperature
Most water heaters are not equipped with a temperature read out and is therefore not that easy to tell what the temperature of your hot water is. If you want to find out what it is, this is how you do it:
- Turn off all your hot water faucets and appliances for at least 1 hour. This will give the water in the heater ample time to heat up. People with a tankless water heater should skip this step.
- Open a hot water faucet and let the water run down the drain for 2 minutes to remove all the cold and lukewarm water in the supply pipes.
- Fill a cup with water and insert a thermometer. Check the reading on the thermometer.
- Adjust your thermometer accordingly and if need be repeat the above steps until you get your desired water temperature.
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Switch Off The Power Supply Of Your Electric Water Heater
- Wear your safety gloves for safety first.
- Then go to the main electric service panel of your home and find the circuit breaker of your water heater. It is typically labeled and runs at around 30-50 amps. Flip the breaker to the OFF position.
Pro Tip: Before turning off the power supply, stay beside your water heater and listen to the hissing sound. It indicates that your unit is using electricity.
After turning off the circuit breaker, check if you can still hear the sound. If the power is off, you wont hear it anymore.
Electric Hot Water Heater Temperature Settings
ELECTRIC HOT WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE SETTINGS
Have you recently purchased a brand new electric hot water heater? Or are you looking to adjust the temperature on an existing unit?
Electric hot water heater temperature settings can be a little confusing but dont worry, were here to help. We are Australias largest online plumbing supply store and we stock a great range of accessories, including Rinnai controllers, to help you manage the temperature of your water.
Browse through our complete range of controllers and accessories now.
For more information about which electric hot water heater temperature settings are right for you, check out the rest of our article. We are your experienced plumbing supply experts.
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Before Adjusting The Temperature
Thermal protection has been provided by factory setting the thermostat on this water heater at about 120°F to limit the danger of scald injury. Higher temperatures may be desired to supply hot water for automated dishwashers or washing machines, to increase the volume of hot water, and to minimize bacterial development.
- Thermal protection has been provided by factory setting the thermostat on this water heater at about 120°F to limit the danger of scald injury. Increasing the temperature may be necessary in order to supply hot water for automated dishwashers or washing machines, to increase the capacity of hot water, or to minimize bacterial development. WARNING! Higher temperatures increase the danger of scorching, however hot water can scald at temperatures as low as 120°F. The use of Thermostatic Mixing Valves at the point of usage can help to lessen the danger of scalding. If you raise the temperature setting on your water heater, you should install Thermostatic Mixing Valve at each point of usage to lessen the danger of scorching your family. To maintain a temperature of 120°F or below, adjust the thermostat mixing valves at each point of usage.
Water Heater Owners Manual
The manual tells you the water heaters pre-set temperature. It is handy in determining how much you should adjust the temperature or whether it needs adjusting or not.
You will also know the precise location of the water heaters thermostats, facilitating the removal of the access panels, and how you can adjust the temperature.
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How To Change The Temperature On Your Hot Water Heater
Hi, I’m Glenn with Mr. Rooter Plumbing. In this video, I’m going to show you how to adjust the temperature of your water heater. Your home’s water heater is one of the most important components of your plumbing. With proper maintenance and care, your water heater will last for years. One easy way to care for it is to properly set the water heater’s temperature.
Gas valve water heaters are really easy to adjust. Find the knob on the valve and set the temperature between 115 and 120 degrees. This lowered setting will protect the tank from overheating and will take less energy to heat the water.
Electric water heaters are a little more intricate, but not hard. First – be sure to shut off power to your water heater. This is really important. Next, remove the panel. Take out the insulation. There are two thermostats on electric water heaters, so I’m going to show you how to adjust both. Take a flathead screwdriver and adjust the temperature to between 115 and 120 degrees. You want your top element to be a little higher than your lower thermostat, so adjust accordingly.
If you find you are having issues or questions, be sure to contact your local, friendly Mr. Rooter plumber.
Thanks for watching and be sure to check out some of our other informative how-to videos!
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