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Water Heater Safety Tips
Tips
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Follow these safety tips to keep your family safe and your water heater working efficiently.
- Don't let dust, lint or dirt block the air intakes at the bottom of your tank
- Use insulation blankets and commercial pipe wraps that are approved for gas water heaters
- Keep pipe wraps at least 15 cm (6 inches) away from a steel chimney
- Make sure insulation doesn't slip and cover the burner control or an air intake
- Secure insulation using straps provided by the manufacturer no tape
Reduce your tank temperature
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Stay Safe and Save
You can reduce your energy consumption and keep your family safe by lowering your water heater temperature to 54°C (130°F).
But don't set your tank's temperature too low the water needs to be at least 50°C to prevent the growth of bacteria.
If you're not sure how hot the water in your tank is, here's how to test the temperature:
- Don't use any hot water for several hours
- Find a faucet near the water heater
- Turn on the hot water, let it run for a few minutes, then fill a coffee mug
- Insert a cooking thermometer into the mug
- If the temperature is above 54°C, reduce the water heater temperature
- Your water tank control may only show "hot" and "warm". "Hot" is approximately 60°C/140°F. Try dialing down one mark, then retest the water temperature the next day.