Did you know that scalding in the bathtub or shower is more likely with young children and older people than with adults? The fact is that the young and the old are more sensitive and can be scalded much sooner than adults. The best way to prevent this is to reduce the setting of your hot water heater so that what comes out of the tub spout or shower is not so hot.

Injury can occur in the blink of an eye: 150ºF water can scald a child or older person in just half a second and 140ºF water can scald in just one second. But 120ºF water takes four minutes to scald. Experts recommend setting your hot water heater at 130ºF.

Always turn on the cold water first, then add hot water to get a comfortable temperature and avoid exposure to straight hot water. Of course, never leave a small child in a tub unattended.

The danger of scalding increases as water pressure may fluctuate. The Illinois Plumbing Code now requires pressure-balanced bath/shower valves in new and remodeling construction to prevent scalding.

You need not rush to get a new showerhead if the one you have begins to give an uneven spray. This can be caused by mineral deposits building up. If the showerhead holes are clogged, remove the face of it, clean the back side surface and poke the holes open with a coarse needle. (When removing or installing showerheads, wrap adhesive tape around the packing nut or pad your wrench jaws with a cloth so you won’t mar the finish.) The latest showerheads on the market are self cleaning and so need no such attention.