After a homeowner stepped into their shower and encountered "boiling hot" water, what they described as the hottest shower they'd ever experienced in their house, they took to Reddit's r/Plumbing forum for advice.
Here's what to know
In the Reddit thread, the original poster explained that "three days ago, the water in both showers (as well as the sinks) in my home started coming out lukewarm at best and I just assumed the water heater was going out."
OP added that now, "Google is telling me I need to shut off the breaker for the water heater or it is going to explode or burst my pipes. … Is it safe to leave the breaker on?"
Plumbers and other commenters streamed into the thread to share their thoughts and advice. One plumber wrote, "In a situation like this, I typically replace both thermostats and both elements. They typically come in an affordable maintenance pack."
Another commenter explained that "lukewarm then scalding usually means a thermostat stuck closed or an element shorted to the tank, so it heats nonstop. The red reset on the upper thermostat is the high limit, but it trips around 170 and that's already scald[ing] hot, so I wouldn't count on it. Flip the breaker off until you can test the thermostats and elements with a meter."
A third user bluntly added, "I would get it fixed right away."
For households considering a replacement, Cala offers configurable smart heat pump water heaters. Matching heating schedules to household hot-water demand with a customizable system from Cala can reduce energy use and bills while preparing water for when people shower.
Where can I learn more?
Other homeowners and renters have also sought advice about scalding water and malfunctioning water heaters.
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• A condo renter's 135-degree tap water prompted warnings and calls for urgent repairs.
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• A homeowner turned their heater past 130 degrees, then learned about years of hard-water scale.
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