What Is the Average Shower Water Temperature?

Scalding typically occurs within 10 minutes when shower water is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. When shower water temperatures reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit, scalding usually occurs within six seconds of contacting the skin. To prevent scalding, water heaters must be set no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Setting the water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less also conserves energy, resulting in lower utility bills. Reducing the length of showers to five minutes and installing a water-saving shower head further conserves money and resources.