mcp6453 writes:

My wife just turned on the hot water in the kitchen. After it warmed
up, it started smoking. It's really, really hot. We
have a 10-year old low-boy State electric water heater. Has the thermostat failed?

Don't know about the heater, but maybe you should find out
what the temperature of that water is.

Do you have a meat thermometer? Anything else that would be
more accurate than "looks hot"?

There is a dial on the water heater where you adjust the temperature.

--
Dan Espen