Hot Water Heaters & Scalding
Some homeowners turn up their hot water heater thermostat to increase the availability of hot water when they really should have bought a larger heater. This can be extremely dangerous to small children and elderly or disabled persons
The factory setting on new residential water heaters is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the highest setting considered to be safe; higher temperatures can cause severe scalding.
Below is a Table showing the approximate exposure time for a burns to occur for different water temperatures:
Length of time for
hot water to cause burns |
|---|
average
temperature
FAHRENHEIT |
temperature
CELSIUS | 2nd Degree
burn1 | 3rd Degree
Burn2 |
|---|
| 113°F | 45°C | 2 hours | 3 hours |
|---|
| 117°F | 47°C | 20 minutes | 45 minutes |
|---|
| 118°F | 48°C | 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
|---|
| 120°F | 49°C | 8 minutes | 10 minutes |
|---|
| 124°F | 51°C | 2 minutes | 4.2 minutes |
|---|
| 131°F | 55°C | 17 seconds | 30 seconds |
|---|
| 140°F | 60°C | 3 seconds | 5 seconds |
|---|
| |
| 1 - no permanent tissue damage
2 - tissue destroyed
Table courtesy of Shriners Burn Institute
|
|---|
Scalding Facts
COURTESY: SHRINER BURNS HOSPITAL
- Hot water scalds account for 20% of all burns
- More than 2,000 American children are treated for scalds each year
- Scalding accidents occur most frequently in the bathrooms and kitchens where they are most preventable
- Scalding leads to additional injuries such as heart attacks, shock, falls, and serious broken bones, particularly among the elderly
- Scalding and other burns require the most expensive treatments: long hospital stays, costly skin grafts, and plastic surgery
- Most U.S. states now mandate some form of anti-scald measures in building codes
A bathroom sink and shower can be fitted with anti-scald protective devices that are very affordable.
A pressure-balancing valve maintains the pre-selected shower temperature by instantly and continually balancing the incoming hot and cold water pressures. These devices protect against the unpleasant and oftentimes dangerous temperature changes that occur as demands are made by toilets, dishwashers, etc., elsewhere in the plumbing system.
These devices are made by all shower valve manufacturers. (see: shower valve manufacturers)
