Burns From Hot Water

Every year, there are roughly 3,800 injuries and 34 deaths that are a result of scalding from excessively hot tap water. The vast majority of these accidents involve the elderly and children who are under the age of five. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) encourages and urges all hot water users to lower their water heaters to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Doing this will prevent accidents, conserve energy, and save money.

If exposed to 150 degree water for two seconds, most adults will suffer third-degree burns. Burns can also occur with six second exposure to 140 degree water or thirty second exposure to 130 degree water. Even if the temperature of the water coming out of the tap is 120 degrees, an adult exposed to this for five minutes or more could experience third degree burns.

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There have been various procedures for lowering water temperature suggested. To lower the temperature of water in the home depends on the method of heating the water in the first place. There is not a one size fits all method of lowering water temperature.

People with electric water heaters should contact the local electric company and request that their thermostat be adjusted. Some companies offer this service at no extra charge. Prior to adjusting the temperature or thermostat, hot water should not be used in the house at all for two hours. Adventurous individuals may wish to make the adjustment to the water heater themselves. To do this, start by shutting off the electrical current to the water heater. Next, turn off the circuit breaker to the heater or remove the fuse that serves the heater. The majority of electric water heaters have two thermostats. These thermostats must be set to the same temperature for proper operation to occur. To get to the thermostats, the upper and lower access panels must be removed. Adjust the thermostat following the instructions provided on the appliance. Once this is done, a candy or meat thermometer can be held under a faucet to check the temperature.

Gas water heaters have different thermostats based on the manufacturer. For complete instructions, it is a good idea to contact the local gas company. If the heater does not give precise temperatures, a candy or meat thermometer held under a faucet will do the trick. For the most accurate reading, try this first thing in the morning or at least 2 hours after the water has been used. If the reading on the thermometer comes back too high, adjust the thermostat on the heater according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once this is done, check the temperature of the water again.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has determined that a thermostat setting of 120 degrees Fahrenheit is necessary for residential water heaters to reduce or eliminate the risk of the majority of tap water scald injuries. Consumers should lower their thermostats to the lowest setting that will satisfy the hot water needs for all clothing and dish washing machines.

Always hand test water before using it, particularly when bathing children and infants. It is important never to take hot water temperatures for granted. Leaving a child alone in a bathroom for even a second could result in serious injuries.

For more information on burn injuries, please visit http://www.burnvictiminjurylawyers.com.

Burns From Hot Water

Joseph Devine

THER MOS PA