Turning Up Your Water Heater at a Glance

• Step 1: Shut off power
• Step 2: Remove access panel
• Step 3: Pull back insulation
• Step 4: Adjust thermostat temperature
• Step 5: Replace insulation
• Step 6: Reinstall access panel
• Step 7: Turn power back on
• For gas water heaters: Relight pilot light

A hot shower after a long day is soothing, but if your water heater is set too low, that’s a comfort you may be denied. Proper water temperature isn’t just about comfort. If the water coming out of your tap is only lukewarm, it may not kill harmful bacteria or get your dishes clean.

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Adjust the temperature of your water heater by following a few easy steps.

Why Might You Need to Turn Up Your Water Heater?

Although most homeowners want hotter water because of personal preference, there are two main reasons to consider raising the temperature on your water heater’s thermostat:

Safety

If your water heater is set too low, it can create an environment that’s ideal for bacteria. Disease-causing microorganisms such as Legionella — which causes Legionnaires’ Disease — thrive in lower temperatures. SFGATE says some health experts recommend setting your water heater to at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit to minimize bacterial growth.

Cleaning

If your dishwasher doesn’t have a booster heater, it may require higher temperatures for optimal cleaning. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the ideal range typically falls between 130 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Where Is My Water Heater Located?

In most houses, the water heater is located against an exterior wall in the garage or basement. You may also find your water heater in several other common places:

• Utility closets
• Crawlspaces
• Attics
• Bedroom closets

How to Turn Up Your Water Heater

Depending on the type of water heater, the temperature interface may vary. Tankless heaters typically feature an easy-to-use digital control panel to set temperatures, whereas traditional electric or gas water heaters may feature a dial near the unit’s base that can be adjusted by turning it to the desired temperature.

Adjusting the temperature on newer gas or electric water heaters may be more involved and can be completed by following these simple steps:

1. Shut off power to the water heater at the circuit breaker.
2. Locate and remove the thermostat’s access panel.
3. Pull back the insulation.
4. Adjust the thermostat’s temperature setting using a flathead screwdriver. If your heater has two thermostats, both need to be adjusted the same amount, with the top thermostat set a few degrees higher than the bottom thermostat.
5. Replace the insulation.
6. Reinstall the access panel.
7. Return the circuit breaker to the ON position.
8. For gas water heaters, you may also need to relight the pilot light.

Before adjusting the temperature setting of any hot water heater, you should test the thermostat’s accuracy. To get an accurate reading, run hot water from the faucet nearest the heater for at least three minutes. Then, hold a cooking thermometer under the hot water stream to get a temperature reading.

After adjusting the thermostat, wait at least three hours and check the temperature again using a thermometer. If the temperature needs additional adjustment, repeat the appropriate steps.

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What Precautions Should You Take When Turning Up Your Water Heater?

Turning up the temperature on your hot water heater may have its benefits, but it can also cause safety risks. Water above 130 degrees Fahrenheit can scald you, and water above 140 degrees Fahrenheit can cause third-degree burns. Young children and the elderly are especially susceptible.

In extreme cases where the water in a heater tank reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit, it can turn to steam, which can cause the tank to burst, potentially resulting in major injuries and severe damage. If your faucet is releasing steam instead of hot water, or if your heater’s T&P valve has escaping steam or water, shut down your unit immediately.

How Hot or Cold Does Your Water Heater Go?

Water heaters can typically be set anywhere from 60 degrees to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. However, some units feature dials that include settings ranging from “warm” to “very hot.” Most modern units have a default setting of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Will Turning Up Your Water Heater Increase Your Utility Bills?

Yes. The higher your water heater is set, the more energy you’ll use, resulting in higher utility bills. The opposite is also true. For every 10 degrees you lower your thermostat, you can save between 3% to 5% on energy costs. A smart water heater can also help improve energy efficiency.

What If Turning It Up Doesn’t Solve the Issue?

The thermostat setting isn’t always the cause of a lack of hot water. Other reasons for low or no hot water include:

• Sediment: Over time, sediment can accumulate in your water heater. If your tank isn’t drained periodically, it could lead to reduced efficiency and clogs that reduce the water temperature.
• A pilot light that’s out: On gas heaters, the pilot light can go out due to a breeze or downdraft, leaving your heater nonfunctional.
• Power surges: Power surges can interfere with your heater. If you’ve recently had a storm, turning your unit off and then on again may solve the problem.

Low water pressure in the shower is annoying. Some days, it seems like the water is just trickling out of the showerhead, producing hardly enough flow to rinse the shampoo out of your hair. If you have a low-flow showerhead, this problem is probably all too familiar to you. These showerheads limit the water pressure to save on water and energy costs — but if it costs you your sanity in the process, is it really worth it?

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A quick internet search will reveal plenty of tutorials describing how to increase water pressure in the shower if you have a low-flow showerhead. However, using these DIY fixes could increase your utility bills and even put you on the wrong side of the law, as we’ll explain below.

What Is a Low-Flow Showerhead?

A low-flow showerhead is specially designed to use less water for cost and environmental reasons. According to Exelon, to qualify as low-flow, the showerhead should release water at a rate of no more than 2.5 gallons per minute.

Low-flow showerheads can save you a significant amount of money on your water and water heating bills. They’re also helpful for water conservation. Using less water during your shower helps reduce the amount of saltwater that needs to be desalinated for drinking and washing. The desalination process uses a lot of energy and is expensive, so reducing the need for desalination is good for the planet and could even lower taxes.

Why Does My Showerhead Have No Pressure?

If you’ve just installed a brand-new showerhead and find that the pressure is suddenly lower, it’s probably because you’ve purchased a water-saving showerhead. Check the labels around the rim, or perform the showerhead GPM test as described below. If the showerhead flow rate is lower than the legal limit in your area, you could consider replacing it with a more powerful one.

If you had water pressure problems before installing a new showerhead and the issue continues, the reason for your low water pressure could be down to blocked, leaking or damaged pipes or an issue with the shower controls. In this situation, it’s best to call a professional plumber to inspect your plumbing and repair any damaged pipes or mechanisms.

How Do I Know If My Showerhead Is Low-Flow?

Often, you can determine whether your showerhead is low-flow by reading any labels printed around the rim. If your showerhead is labeled 2.5 GPM or less, you have a low-flow showerhead. Any showerhead labeled 2.6 GPM or above is a high-flow showerhead.

If your showerhead doesn’t have a label, try this trick to determine the flow rate. Place a bucket or container with a 1-gallon marker under the showerhead. If your showerhead can fill it to the gallon marker in 20 seconds or less, it is high-flow. If it takes more than 20 seconds, it is low-flow.

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• Here’s How to Remove a Shower Drain
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How Do I Increase the Flow on My Low-Flow Showerhead?

Most low-flow showerheads have a rubber pressure-reducing valve (called a regulator) to maintain a lower pressure. You can increase the flow by simply taking it out. You could also consider enlarging the hole that allows water into your showerhead with a drill to increase the amount of water coming through.

Should I Remove the Regulator in My Low-Flow Showerhead?

The regulator in a low-flow showerhead limits the amount of water that can flow through it, reducing the pressure. Some people choose to remove the regulator to achieve less restricted water flow. While the obvious advantage of doing this is significantly higher water pressure, there are a couple of reasons why it might not be such a great idea.

The U.S. Department of Energy is likely to reimpose a legal flow rate limit of 2.5 GPM for showerheads as a part of its energy-saving efforts. The law was previously revised to allow for higher water pressure using multiple showerheads, but the Department of Energy has stated that it intends to return to the previous low-flow laws. Therefore, it’s a good idea to test your showerhead flow rate — especially after taking steps to increase the pressure — to ensure that it won’t fall afoul of federal law in the future.

Some states may impose tighter restrictions on legal showerhead flow rates, often to help maintain a steady freshwater supply during hot weather. For example, the standard legal flow rate in both Hawaii and Washington State is 1.8 GPM. It’s worth checking the restrictions in your area before tampering with your showerhead.

In addition, removing the flow regulator will also increase your overall water usage and the amount of power used for heating water, which is bad for your wallet and the environment.