Water too hot?

Your hot water cylinder helps ensure that you have access to a ready store of hot water for bathing, washing dishes, or any other task. However, sometimes the water inside that cylinder just isn’t the right temperature. Do you open the tap to find that your water just isn’t hot enough? Perhaps you’re worried that very hot water might scald someone and want to turn the temperature down. Don’t worry – it’s actually very simple to do this.

If you have a water cylinder, as opposed to a combi-boiler, you’ll have a thermostat on the unit itself. You will need to locate this in order to change the temperature. In most instances, you’ll find the thermostat between 1/3 and 1/4 of the way up the cylinder’s body from the bottom and will usually take the form of a plastic box with a dial and a temperature scale on it.

Once you have located the thermostat, you will just need to turn the dial to the temperature that you prefer. The temperature scale is marked on the thermostat’s body, and it is simple to determine what temperature has been set. If your water is too cold, turn the dial toward the higher end of the scale. If your water is too hot, turn the dial toward the colder end of the scale. As a note, you should ideally set the temperature of the water between 60 and 65 degrees Celsius.

It is important to note that changing the temperature on your thermostat will not result in an instantaneous temperature change to the water within the cylinder. It takes time for water to heat up or cool down. If you are increasing the temperature of your water, you will likely need to wait around an hour or so before the water reaches your desired temperature.

However, if you are turning your water temperature down, you will likely need to wait a longer period. Modern water cylinders are well insulated and can maintain their internal temperatures for long periods. To speed up the process, run a load of dishes, or wash clothes that require hot water. The cylinder will then refill, and the water will be heated to the new temperature set on the thermostat.

You likely noticed the specific temperature range suggested above – 60 to 65 degrees. Why is that range selected? There are two reasons. First, that is warm enough to kill most pathogens that might be in your water. Turning your water cylinder temperature too low could leave you at risk of becoming ill. A minimum of 60 degrees helps you avoid this. On the other hand, 65 degrees is not hot enough to cause severe scalding injuries, so you avoid getting the water too hot and injuring someone in your home. If the water gets too hot in the cylinder you will start to hear kettling or whistling 

As you can see, changing your water cylinder temperature is not all that complicated. With a little bit of time, you can ensure your water is just the right temperature.