Hot Water Heater???

[FrugalTexan75]

Hi! I've read in a number of different places about one way to save on energy costs is to turn your water heater down to 120 degrees -- or even turn it off until you actually need it. I've looked at my water heater but have not been able to figure out what the temperature is, or how to adjust it. I also am not sure how I would be able to turn it off completely. --- Also, does anyone know how long it would take a water heater to warm up an apartment sized tank?

Thank you ahead of time for any ideas or suggestions!

Keeping It Frugal in Texas,
Laura

I believe it varies, but I just did mine a couple of weeks ago, so I'll tell you how it was with mine. There was a plain curved metal plate over the thermostat - No indication of what was under there. It was held on by a single screw. Once I took that off there was a small dial with a slot (like a screw head) that you could turn with a small coin or the tip of a butter knife.

One thing to watch out for is that it may take a long time to register the change. The cylinder will be very well insulated. Depending on how much hot water you use, it may be the next day before you notice the difference. So change it just a little at a time.

As for 120 deg F, I'm not sure that's advisable on hygiene grounds - Here they recommend at least 55 degC, which is about 131 degF, to kill the bugs that would otherwise breed in your heater.

For turning it off, there should be a switch, like a normal light switch, somewhere in the cabinet - just look around in there with a torch - it may be awkward to access. (My cat's so cute - I just opened the door to the hot water cupboard to have a look, and she decided that was an ideal place to explore).

Anyway, if you turn it off, you'll have hot water for a while, but then after you turn it back on, it'll take a long time to reheat, and you may be short when you really need it. I suppose you could experiment - if you don't mind the risk of a cold shower.

John.

[amomof4]

Mine is electric & I couldn't figue it out. My son-in-law did it for me. But it turns out that I have two dials to turn down. They have separate plate covers. My neighbor turned down the other one for me.

Yikes!

Since I was quoting that figure of 55C from memory, I thought I'd better do some quick research on the net. This is what I found:

Legionella Pneumophilia, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, thrives in warm, stagnant water.
A water temperature of 120°F does not kill the bacteria; a minimum temperature of 140°F is required.
A water heater set at 120°F can contain water as low as 100°F.
To eliminate the bacteria, several steps need to be taken, including eliminating dead-legs and system flushing. But, without a storage temperature of 140°F, all other steps cannot solve the problem.

Source: http://www.cashacme.com/watertemp.html

Some facilities distribute hot water at temperatures as low as 120°F, and some even lower (e.g., 110°F), to eliminate any risk of scalding. Unfortunately, Legionella will grow in temperatures as high as 122°F, with an ideal growth range of 95 to 115°F .

Source: http://www.nursinghomesmagazine.com/...es.htm?ID=3411

Looks like this may not be the best way to save a few dollars.

John.

[Tammy]

Ours is set at 140. You can buy a water heater timer (about $25) and it will turn the hot water on when the timer is set. Or you could flip the hot water heater breaker.