If your apartment water isn’t hot enough, the fix depends on whether you have direct access to your water heater. In some apartments, the water heater is inside your unit (in a closet, utility room, or garage). In others, a central boiler serves the whole building and the thermostat is entirely in the landlord’s hands. Figuring out which situation you’re in determines your next step.
If You Have a Water Heater in Your Unit
Many apartments, especially in smaller buildings, have individual water heaters inside the unit or in a dedicated closet. If yours is a gas model, look for a temperature dial on the front of the control box near the bottom of the tank. It typically has labeled settings like “Warm,” “Hot,” and “Very Hot,” or a numerical scale. Turn the dial toward a higher setting.
Electric water heaters require a bit more work. Most have two thermostats, one behind an upper access panel and one behind a lower panel, each controlling a separate heating element. To adjust them safely:
- Turn off power first. Find the circuit breaker that controls the water heater and flip it off.
- Remove the access panels. They’re usually held on by a couple of screws. Behind each panel you’ll find insulation and then the thermostat dial.
- Adjust both thermostats. Use a flathead screwdriver to turn each dial to the same temperature. Setting them unevenly can cause inconsistent heating.
- Replace the panels and restore power. Give the tank 30 to 60 minutes to reach the new temperature before testing.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends keeping water heaters at 120°F. That temperature is hot enough for comfortable showers and effective dishwashing while keeping scald risk low. At 120°F, it takes about four minutes of sustained skin contact to cause a burn. At 140°F, a burn happens in roughly one second. At 150°F, it takes less than a second. If you raise the temperature above 120°F, be aware of this tradeoff, especially in households with children or elderly residents.
If the Water Heater Is Centrally Controlled
In larger apartment buildings, a central boiler or water heater supplies hot water to every unit. You won’t have a thermostat to adjust yourself. Your first move is to contact your landlord or property management company and explain the problem. Be specific: tell them what temperature the water reaches (you can check with an inexpensive cooking thermometer held under the tap for 30 seconds) and describe when the problem is worst.
Landlords in most states are legally required to provide “reasonable amounts of hot water at all times.” While specific minimum temperatures vary by jurisdiction, many local housing codes set the floor between 110°F and 120°F at the tap. If your landlord is unresponsive and your water is noticeably lukewarm or cold, you can file a complaint with your local housing authority or building code enforcement office. Document the issue with thermometer readings and written communication before escalating.
Why Your Water Might Feel Cooler Than It Is
Sometimes the water heater is set correctly, but the water still feels lukewarm by the time it reaches you. A few common culprits are worth checking before you turn up the thermostat.
Long pipe runs between the heater and your faucet cause heat loss, especially in older buildings with uninsulated pipes. If it takes a long time for the water to get hot after you turn on the tap, this is likely the issue. Running the faucet until the hot water arrives is the simplest workaround, though it wastes water. Pipe insulation (foam sleeves that slip over exposed pipes) is a cheap fix if you or your landlord can access the plumbing.
Sediment buildup inside the tank is another common problem, particularly in areas with hard water. Minerals settle at the bottom over time and insulate the water from the heating element. You’ll notice the water temperature fluctuating, the hot water running out faster than it used to, or the tank taking longer to recover between uses. Flushing the tank, which involves draining it through the valve at the bottom, clears the sediment. If you own the heater or your landlord is cooperative, this is routine maintenance that should happen once a year.
Your Showerhead Might Be the Problem
Low-flow showerheads, especially the type that mix air into the water stream (called aerating showerheads), can make the water feel cooler than it actually is. Research published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research found that showerheads mixing air with water showed noticeable temperature drops of about 3.5°F between different spray zones. The fine, airy spray loses heat to the surrounding air much faster than a denser stream of water does.
If your shower feels cool but the sink in the same bathroom runs hot, try switching to a non-aerating showerhead or one with a denser spray pattern. You’ll often notice an immediate improvement in perceived warmth without changing the water heater at all.
A Few More Quick Fixes
Check whether someone turned down the temperature on your water heater without telling you. In shared apartments, this happens more often than you’d think. Also check whether your dishwasher or washing machine recently ran a hot cycle, which can temporarily drain the tank. If you consistently run out of hot water during peak hours (mornings, evenings), the tank may simply be too small for your household’s demand. A 30- or 40-gallon tank struggles to keep up with back-to-back showers.
If your water heater is electric and the water is barely warm rather than just not-hot-enough, one of the two heating elements may have failed. The water heater will still produce some hot water using the working element, but noticeably less and at a lower temperature. This is a repair job, not a thermostat adjustment. Your landlord is responsible for fixing it in a rental, since hot water is classified as an essential service under most state landlord-tenant laws.