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Water heater temperature for killing bacteria/ 140° F
water temperature for killing bacteria140°F is typical temperature for killing bacteria, but it will also kill and seriously burn people.
High temperatures, 140°F and above, should not be introduced into ordinary residential or commercial pipes that go to end user taps and showers etc.
Install mixing valve to temper or cool water before it enters water lines that go to taps.
Resource: Advantages mixing valve

High temperatures (140° and above) pose very serious risk of scald, especially among old and young.
Higher temps strain water heaters, pipes, equipment etc, distilling more chemicals out of water, requiring more rigid safeguards, more maintenance, and reduce life span of heater.

Water heaters have been factory set at 120°F for decades
120°F  is recommended in every water heater manual, even heavy duty high-temperature commercials heater manuals when they supply hot water to end user taps. "Maximize efficiency by setting to minimum temperature that supplies acceptable hot water supply."
All residential water heaters have thermostat range of 90-160°, with typical bath shower temperature 104°.
Some commercial heaters have higher range to meet specific needs.

Commercial water heaters and high temperatures
Commercial laundries, factories, hospitals, commercial dish washers, and other manufacturing and public applications often use very high temperature water heaters and booster heaters to meet production needs or sanitary and health safety codes.
Many commercial water heaters are rated up to 180°F for this purpose, but that temperature water is NEVER introduced into the water lines that supply tap water. Instead, a mixing valve is installed to temper or cool water before it enters water lines that go to taps. Resource: Advantages mixing valve
Boilers reach temperatures of 200°, slightly below the steam explosion level, and this water is NEVER introduced into water pipes that go to end user taps, because of high temperatures and chemicals typically needed for boiler systems.
Coal and gas fired electric power plants, and steam locomotives heat water to the boiling point and utilize massive energy release of expanding water vapor, called a steam explosion, to rotate generator or engine.

Bacteria that causes legionnaires disease can grow in a water heater at a temperature between 68° and 122°F.
This is NOT a typical threat, and highly uncommon.
You are generally not at riskCalm down and stop watching TV. Go get a happy meal. Set thermostat to 130° if this is a concern.
Legionnaires disease is more likely found in the damp air conditioning chillers atop buildings, and is rare.
It's far more common to get natural gas caused by fracking than dangerous bacteria from ordinary water heater. Install air vent at high point in water line.

* 70 to 80 °C (158 to 176 °F): Disinfection range
* At 66 °C (151 °F): Legionellae die within 2 minutes
* At 60 °C (140 °F): Legionellae die within 32 minutes
* At 55 °C (131 °F): Legionellae die within 5 to 6 hours
* Above 50 °C (122 °F): They can survive but do not multiply
* 35 to 46 °C (95 to 115 °F): Ideal growth range. Do not turn water heater off.
* 20 to 50 °C (68 to 122 °F): Legionellae growth range
* Below 20 °C (68 °F): Legionellae can survive but are dormant.
Temperature gauge
temperature gaugePermanent install on hot pipe leaving water heater.
Temperatures over 135° can burn and scald skin.
Higher temps pose greater risk of scald

140° is used to kill bacteria, most residential water heater thermostats have high temp range 150°, while some commercial tanks can deliver 180°.
 Elderly and very young, or people with sensation loss in extremities may not respond to danger before injury.

Buy:
Winters Temperature gauge
Temperature-pressure gauge for boiler
Pocket thermometer

safety chartElectrical burns, do not treat with water.
Electrical damage can penetrate body. Introducing water will cause infection.

Hot water scald. Burn from fire. Administer cool/ cold water immediately to lessen damage.
If you order hot water at restaurant ... ask them to add cold water and do not bring scalding hot water to table.
Restaurant hot water will instantly cause 1st and 2nd degree burns.

Burns, even seemingly minor burns, must be cleaned and covered with protective dressing to prevent infection
scald chart
Mixing valve

A mixing valve can be thought of like a sink faucet.
At the sink faucet, you adjust the amount of hot water by adding cold water to temper, or change water to usable temperature.

The same with mixing valve, or tempering valve.
The mixing valve can be set for specific temperature, then the valve automatically adjusts temperature by adding the right amount of cold water.

The water heater can be set to high temperatures, for example 140°, and the mixing valve will protect end user from scald.

This strategy can supply very hot water to certain parts of house, like laundry room, etc.
The strategy can also be used to get more hot water from a single tank. If more cold is added to keep bath at right temperature, then it means less hot was drawn from tank, so the tank can supply more baths and showers without running out of hot.
For commercial dish washing etc, there are strict codes and 180°F is used
180° must never be allowed into household water heater or household pipes.

Maximum allowable temperature for water heater is 210°F ... beyond 210°, water turns into steam with very clear risk of massive steam explosion ... steam powered boats and other steam-powered vehicles and machinery from the past were known to explode violently. Mark Twain's brother was killed on the Mississippi when the padlewheeler he was on blew up. Temperatures and pressures must be controlled when very hot water is used.
Todays power generating stations that utilize coal, gas, or atomic power to boil water and then utilize the steam explosion to rotate giant turbines that generate electric power.

"Commercial DISH-WASHING MACHINES
All dish-washing machines meeting the National Sanitation Foundation requirements are designed to operate with water flow pressures between 15 and 25 pounds per square inch (103 kPa and 173 kPa). Flow pressures above 25 pounds per square inch (173 kPa), or below 15 pounds per square inch (103 kPa), will result in improperly sanitized dishes. Where pressures are high, a water pressure reducing or flow regulating control valve should be used in the 180°F (82°C) line to the dish-washing machine and should be adjusted to deliver water pressure between these limits.

MIXING VALVES
Water heated to a temperature which will satisfy clothes washing, dish washing, and other sanitizing needs can scald and cause permanent injury upon contact. Short repeated heating cycles caused by small hot water uses can cause temperatures at the point of use to exceed the water heater’s temperature setting by up to 20°F (11°C).

The National Sanitation Foundation also recommends circulation of 180°F (82°C) water. The circulation should be just enough to provide 180°F (82°C) water at the point of take-off to the dish- washing machine....."
hatco booster heater Buy Hatco:
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Used for commercial sanitizing or commercial process
Propane and natural gas models
Single-phase and 3-phase electric models

Booster heaters are used to supply very hot water (180°F) in large quantities for washing dishes etc.
The booster heater integrates with the ordinary tank heater .... this allows lower temperatures in the tank water heater so the tank can supply less-than-180° water for other purposes.

Resources:
How to wire Hatco booster heater
How to set temperature on ordinary gas and electric water heaters
3-phase commercial Booster heater
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booster heater
water heater temperatue to kill bacteria 120° F temperature
120° F is considered optimal household tank temperature for saving money and giving ample amount of hot water, while posing least amount of scalding danger. But does not kill bacteria.
Takes 5 minutes to cause skin burn. This is especially important among children and elderly who are least able to recognize and escape dangerously hot water such as 140° F.

100°F temperature
More recently, manufactures are setting 100° F water heater temperature on new water heaters. This action, plus lowering hot-water-usage-estimate for average family, allow manufacturers to claim energy-efficiency gains.

Resources:
How to adjust water heater temperature
Family chart for setting timer based on incoming water temperature and thermostat setting
water heater temperatue to kill bacteria 140° F is considered temperature for killing bacteria on wash day.
140°F will kill bacteria, and is required for some institutional and commercial applications such as washing dishes and bedsheets. Expensive commercial grade water heaters are also required by code to meet quantity and safety requirements in commercial applications, often requiring temperatures as high as 180°.
Household water heaters can usually be set from 90° to 150° degrees.
Marathon residential electric water heater can be set as high as 170° read more.
However all water heater thermostats are calibrated approximately and calibration can change over time depending on many factors including pipe insulation, distance from tap, sediments and age of heater ... suggest use cooking thermostat at tap to verify temperature.
Bad single-handled faucet cartridge can add cold water at tap and reduce temp Read more

140°F hot water is dangerous:
140°F can cause serious burns in less than 5 seconds. See chart
water heater chemicals High temperatures distill chemicals out of water
Temperatures at or above 140°F will distill chemicals out of water... and these chemicals can fill bottom of tank... so flush water heater once each 6 months using following instructions:

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Tank pressure High temperatures increase pressure
Temperatures at or above 135° F can increase water pressure.  Any home can have high pressure for different reasons. Pressure over 80psi can damage tank and pipes and fixtures. Install pressure reducing valve, expansion tank, and pressure gauge.

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Watts telltale Pressure Gauge 276H300

Telltale pressure gauge is left in place for a day, and marks the highest pressure so user can tell if there are pressure spikes that are causing TP valve to leak water, or other possible problems

Resource:
Read about expansion tank, pressure valves and gauge
Change water heater temperature using timer Automated temperature change
If you have electric water heater, you can toggle between temperatures using timer or switch or home automation.
If you have gas water heater, there are programmable and remote control products that change gas water heater temperature between 120° and 140° F


Resources:
How to change temperature  on electric water heater using timer
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Mixing valve Mixing valve
Mixing valve lets you have different water temperatures in different parts of home.
Store hot water from solar tank or off-peak heating

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Advantages/ disadvantages/ How to save hot water using mixing valve
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