Common questions

What is the recommended temperature for domestic hot water?

What is the recommended temperature for domestic hot water?

Professionals recommend keeping your water heater set at a temperature between 130 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Any higher, or lower, could actually be dangerous for you and your family. While turning the temperature up higher can result in burns, turning it lower than the recommended setting can also be dangerous.

What is the best temperature for domestic hot water?

A domestic hot water cylinder thermostat should be set at 60-65ºC. This is high enough to kill off harmful bacteria such as Legionella. If you set the thermostat much higher than this the water that comes out of the taps will be too hot and there’ll be a risk of scalding.

How does an immersion heater thermostat work?

Unlike a gas heated water tank, which has burners below it, immersion heaters heat water directly from inside the tank. The thermostat serves to monitor the temperature of water in the tank. If it drops below a certain point, works to bring it back up to the required level.

How do you check domestic hot water temperature?

Checking the temperature from the hot taps

  1. Hold the thermometer in the hot water flow for one minute.
  2. Record the temperature on the thermometer.
  3. It should be a minimum of 50 degrees Celsius after one minute.
  4. If it is below this, advise whoever oversees the site so the necessary actions can be taken to remedy the issue.

How long do immersion heater thermostats last?

An immersion heater may last for between two and three years before it burns out and needs to be changed.

How long does it take for immersion to heat water?

1-2 hours
The immersion heater is connected to the mains electric via a cable and has its own on/off switch. When the heater is turned on, electricity heats the metal element and this heat passes to the surrounding water. It can take 1-2 hours for the water in the cylinder to reach your desired temperature.

What size thermostat do I need for an immersion heater?

Replacement thermostats are inexpensive and easy to fit without needing to drain the water. Immersion heater thermostats are available in various sizes (7, 11, 18 and 27 inches) depending on the manufacturer, model and type of immersion heater – only the correct sized thermostat should be used as a replacement.

What is the difference between an immersion heater and a boiler?

Unlike an immersion heater, a boiler can provide both hot water and central heating for the house. They usually run on either gas or oil and have pipes entering the boiler from underneath.

Do immersion heaters turn off automatically?

Immersion heaters can be set using a thermostat. The beauty of this is that it will automatically switch off when it reaches the desired temperature. This saves you both money and hassle and enables you to get on with your day without worrying about your immersion heater being left on.

Do immersion heaters need a thermal cut-out?

Make sure that the immersion heater being fitted incorporated a thermal cut-out (as well as the thermostat) to comply with current regulation. This should not be a concern if fitting a newly purchased heater, but don’t fit an old, working heater if it does not have a thermal cut-out.