Raising Children Network: the Australian parenting website
  • Suitable for 0-5Years

Safe bath temperature

By Raising Children Network
 
 
It takes less than a second for a child to be severely scalded by water that's too hot. You can avoid scalds and bath-time mishaps by adjusting the temperature of your hot-water system and following a few safety tips.

Did you knowQuestion mark symbol

If your skin flushes when you put your arm in the water, the water is too hot for your child.
 

Lots of scalds happen in the bathroom when:

  • a child is placed in a dangerously hot bath
  • hot water is added once the child is already in the water, and he puts a hand or foot under the running hot water
  • water in the bath has not been swirled, so there are hot areas and cold areas
  • children turn on taps themselves.

Bath temperature for children is best between 37°C and 38°C (36°C for a newborn). Any cooler than 37°C is not recommended, as it can lower your child's normal body temperature.

A child can be severely scalded in under a second with a water temperature of around 65°C, which is common in many Australian homes. Setting a maximum temperature of 50°C is much safer, as at this temperature it takes five minutes to severely scald a child.

Tips for safe water temperature

  • Turn the thermostat on your hot-water system down to 50°C, a low-risk temperature for hot water burns. If you’re not sure how to do this, a plumber or electrician can help you.
  • Install a device that lets you regulate the temperature of the hot water. These are available from hardware stores and can be installed without a plumber.
  • Gas hot-water systems without a specific temperature can usually be turned down by setting the thermostat between low and medium. Wait a day before you check the water temperature again. Call your heater manufacturer, local gas supplier or gasfitter for more information.
  • Consider child-resistant taps or tap guards in the bath.

You can get a plumber to install:

  • A single-lever mixer tap with a lock that prevents the hot water being turned on fully.
  • An automatic flow-reduction device that reduces the water flow if the water gets hotter than the set temperature.
  • A tempering valve which will control the temperature of the hot water delivered to the bathroom to a maximum temperature of 42°C or 43°C.
  • A thermostatic mixing valve that fixes the temperature of the hot water.

Electric hot-water systems can be adjusted. Contact the manufacturer, a qualified tradesperson or an electrician for more information.

Solar or slow-combustion hot-water systems cannot be adjusted. Contact the manufacturer for more information.

 
 
 
  • Last reviewed04-05-2006
  • ReferencesCassell, E., Clapperton, A., & Ashby, K. (2004). Unintentional burns and scalds in vulnerable populations: The very young and the very old, Victoria July 2001 to June 2003. Hazard, 57(Autumn), 1-17.