How To Prevent Scalding Hot Water From Your Tap

‘Tis the season to be jolly—and hot!

With winter’s chill and spring’s soggy weather, you’re bound to find yourself in a situation where your faucet starts spewing scalding water. Sure, it’s not the end of the world—but it hurts like heck!

We know how annoying (and painful) this can be. So we’ve put together a list of tips on how to prevent scalding by hot water.

What is hot water scalding?

Hot water scalding is a terrible, terrible thing. It’s one of the most frequent causes of burns, and anyone may get one.

When you come into contact with something hot enough to burn your skin but not hot enough to produce steam or vapor to rise off it, you are scalded by hot water. In other words, you’re holding something heated and lose track of its temperature since it doesn’t feel that hot in your hand—but then you realize, “Oh no!” as your skin begins to sting.

Most individuals are unaware of how hazardous hot water may be until they get burned while taking a shower or cooking dinner. It’s critical to understand what you’re up against in order to avoid this sort of harm.

What are the causes of hot water scalding?

Hot water scalding is a dangerous condition that can occur when you are exposed to hot temperatures.

The most common cause of hot water scalding is from a hot shower. If the temperature is scalding hot water, it can cause skin cells to die, leading to them being replaced by scar tissue. Other causes include:

High water heater temperature 

Why is the water heater suddenly scalding hot? The temperature of your water heater needs to be set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less. If it’s not, then you risk accidentally scalding yourself when washing your hands or taking a shower.

Faulty temperature controls 

Most people don’t realize that their faucets have built-in temperature controls that allow them to control how hot or cold the water is coming out of the faucet itself. If these controls are faulty, then it’s possible for someone to accidentally burn themselves while washing their hands or taking a shower because they didn’t realize their tap was producing scalding temperatures instead of just lukewarm ones.

Sudden temperature fluctuations

When the temperature of your shower suddenly changes from warm to hot, it can be dangerous. This is why you should always check the temperature before entering a new shower, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve last used that particular shower.

Insufficient mixing valves 

Hot water scalding can also be caused by insufficient mixing valves in your shower. These valves mix cold water with hot water to create a comfortable temperature for bathing. If these valves aren’t working properly, however, they may not be able to blend enough cold water into the hot water stream to keep it at an appropriate heat level. As a result, people who have this type of valve will experience sudden temperature fluctuations and should check their showers before using them.

How to prevent hot water scalding?

It’s a common problem: you’re in the kitchen, cooking dinner or washing dishes—and suddenly, you feel something hot on your hand.

It’s hot water scalding! And it hurts. A lot.

So when a gas water heater suddenly scalds hot, how can you prevent hot water scalding from happening? Let’s find out.

Adjust your water heater temperature

This is the easiest way to prevent hot water scalding because it’s something that can be done by anyone in the house. Simply turn down the temperature setting on your hot water heater so it’s not too high for young children or pets.

Install temperature controls

Another easy way to prevent hot water scalding is by installing a thermostat on your shower head or faucet handles (so that it will automatically turn off if someone turns it too far). There are also other types of safety devices available for purchase online or at hardware stores if you want something more customized for your home’s needs.

Test your water temperature

The easiest way to avoid hot water scalding is always to make sure your water is at a safe temperature before you use it. You can do this by testing the temperature with a thermometer or your hand (test the water in one area of the sink, not all over).

Educate household members

It’s important that everyone in your home understands the dangers of hot water scalding and knows how to test the temperature of their water before using it. Make sure everyone knows how to do this—especially children! They aren’t always able to pay attention to these things on their own, so it’s important that adults help them understand what they need to do.

Pressure balancing valves

A pressure balancing valve is a device that automatically regulates the flow of hot or cold water depending on the needs of your household. If you have someone in your home who enjoys taking long showers or baths, this is an excellent way to ensure they don’t accidentally scorch themselves while relaxing.

Thermostatic mixing valves

A thermostatic mixing valve lets you regulate the temperature of both hot and cold water. This allows you to set various temperatures for separate portions of the home so that if one section has high-flow facilities, such as showers or tubs, you won’t accidentally scald yourself (or vice versa).

How to Maintain the Proper Temperature of Your Tap Water?

If you’re like the majority of us, you probably don’t worry about the temperature of your tap water until it’s abnormally hot or cold. However, if you want to keep things safe and sanitary, you should monitor the temperature of your tap water.

The ideal range for scalding hot water from the tap is between 45 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. If it stays in this range consistently, then there’s a pretty good chance that it won’t cause any issues with getting sick or causing unpleasant odors in your home or workplace.

If you notice that your tap water is outside this range, it could mean something is wrong with your plumbing system or filters. It might also be time to call a water heater Columbia expert if many people in your household have been getting sick lately because they’ve been drinking from the same faucet as other people who are sick.

Are you tired of scalding hot water? Need a hot water heater replacement in Columbia, MO?

We’re not talking about a hot date here; we’re talking about hot water scalding. If you’ve ever had your hands or feet scalded, you know how painful it can be. And if you haven’t experienced that pain, trust us: it’s no fun! For most people, the best way to avoid a hot water scald is to keep your water heater in good working order.

That’s where Master Tech Plumbing comes in. We offer regular maintenance and repair services for all makes, models, and brands of water heaters in Columbia and Mid-Missouri. Our technicians and plumbers are highly trained and experienced with all major models of water heaters, so we can handle any problem quickly and competently—and often at a lower cost than other plumbers on the market today. 

We offer a comprehensive range of plumbing services, including:

– Hot Water Heater Repair (Commercial & Residential)

– Tankless Water Heater Installation 

– Drain Cleaning & Rooter Service 

– Sewer Line Repair & Replacement 

– Grease Trap Service & Installation

If you want to keep your family safe from dangerously hot water scalds but don’t want to pay too much for it? Call us today for Water Heater Services in Columbia and Mid-Missouri!

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