UGI Utilities » Central Penn Gas » Safety » Water Heater Safety
WATER HEATER SAFETY
How dangerous is hot water? |
|
| Temperature of Water | Time to Cause a Bad Burn |
| 150°F (66°C) | 2 seconds |
| 140°F (60°C) | 6 seconds |
| 125°F (52°C) | 2 minutes |
| 120°F (49°C) | 10 minutes |
The leading cause of deaths and injuries to children at home is accidents. Scalding from hot water is one of the most dangerous of these accidents. Small children are active and can get to sinks or bathtubs quickly. They can burn themselves severely before they can get out of the water. Infants are unable to move away from hot water if it is accidentally left on too hot or if the cold water is unintentionally turned off.
As a result, your water heater should be turned down from 150 to 120 degrees for safety, as well as for energy efficiency, purposes.
The chart on the right shows just how dangerous hot water can be.
(Source: University of Michigan Health System - http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_hotwatr_hhg.htm)
