The U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission recommends 120°F (48°C) as a maximum setting for
residential water heaters. As we noted, it would take an estimated 5 minutes
of exposure before water of this temperature would cause a serious burn in a
healthy adult.
Regulations for
nursing homes and child care facilities are established in some state or
local communities and they typically cite 110°F (43°C) as the
maximum allowable temperature for patient accommodations That’s because a
setting that allows water temperature to reach 120°F may be too
high for young children or older adults. A temperature of no more than 100°F is considered
safest for bathing a baby.
(Bridge)Unlike the thermostats that
control house heating systems, water heater thermostats don’t usually have
temperature settings. How can I measure the actual water temperature?