Your water heater is an essential appliance in your home, providing H2O with the right temperature for your sinks, showers, dishwashers and washing machines. However, not many people realize the importance of resetting their tank. At Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Greater Syracuse, we can help you figure out why your water heater is not working and how to reset it for the perfect temperatures.
What Does Resetting a Water Heater Do?
Resetting changes how much the appliance warms the water in your home. Your tank takes in and heats the water to a certain level and pumps it out for you and your appliances. The average temperature for most commercial heaters is 120 degrees Fahrenheit, a reliable standard for most uses. However, it might be too hot for warmer months. Resetting allows you to adjust and control the temperature.
Resetting Your Tank Based on the Season
If your cold water is hot in the summer, you may need to reset your tank. In the summer, as the average temperature outside increases, the ambient temperature of your water also rises. This seasonal change means that your "cold" is warmer, and your "hot" might be too hot! You're also likely to use less hot water in the summer than in colder months, so your heater wastes energy constantly heating something you don't need.
You can also reset your tank in other seasons to ensure it's at the correct level and working properly.
The Benefits of Resetting Your Water Heater for Summer
Resetting your tank in the summer leads to several benefits.
Save money: The average tank makes up anywhere from 14% to 18% of your total utility bills. This cost is especially wasteful in the summer when most people are not using as much hot water. Adjusting the temperature will cut back on your energy bills and save you money.
Conserve resources: Reducing the temperature will reduce your overall energy use, which helps the environment. Help conserve natural resources and do your part to keep the planet green!
Stay safe: In the summer, your water heater and higher ambient temperatures might combine to create extremely hot water. Lowering the average temperature by even a few degrees can help avoid scalding showers.
How to Reset Your Tank
The process to reset your water heater varies between systems, but the basics are similar. If you have a tankless model, use the digital control panel to adjust the temperature to your liking.
For gas or electric models, locate the thermostat on the exterior or interior of the appliance. Adjust the temperature to the desired level. If your model has a top and bottom thermostat, be sure to change both. After waiting a few minutes, test the temperature to ensure it matches the thermostat readout.
Contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing Today
If you're encountering problems or have no hot water in the summer, Mr. Rooter Plumbing is here to help. Contact us today to get in touch with a licensed plumber certified by Onondaga County for plumbing leak detection or any plumbing-related project.