Bleach in water heater?


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Old 12-23-17, 05:11 PM
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Bleach in water heater?

I'm draining and leaving a heater unused for about a month. Draining it never removes 100% of the water. How do I ensure the small remaining amount doesn't get moldy, full of bacteria, etc.
 
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Old 12-23-17, 07:31 PM
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For a month I probably wouldn't even drain it....
 
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Old 12-23-17, 09:50 PM
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Same here....set it to vacation mode, when you come back turn it up and run it extra hot for a tank, then turn down to normal setting.
 
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Old 12-24-17, 03:29 AM
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What temperature is vacation mode? Off?
I was cutting some pipes around it to rearrange the pex. Tried clearing a hose pipe in the sink and inadvertently may have got a little mud in the tank as it backwashed from the blocked hose back through the pex pipe into the tank.
 
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Old 12-24-17, 03:48 AM
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Drain tank and than run a lot of water out from faucet. Take aerator out so wont get clogged.
 
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Old 12-24-17, 04:12 AM
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I get debris in my water system several times a year from the water company working on lines. I'll hook a hose to the drain spigot on the tank and flush out the tank that way when needed. Sometimes on older tanks that haven't had the spigot opened in a long time they can be hard to shut off completely.
 
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Old 12-24-17, 08:42 AM
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That clears the mud I guess but isn't the heater a breeding ground for bacteria whilst off or heating it again in a month kills everything?
 
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Old 12-24-17, 12:17 PM
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Thats what I meant....heating it to max, then running that out will take care of it. As to vacation mode, I've only had gas WHs and they all have a vacation setting. I guess electric don't? Basically, it just leaves the pilot on, but doesn't fire the burner. CAN uses a lot more "hydro" WH's I guess. Always confuses me that "hydro" refers to electric. Water and electricity just don't mix in my brain...lol.
 
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Old 12-24-17, 01:03 PM
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"Always confuses me that "hydro" refers to electric."

The people that use the term hydro to mean electric are all Canadians. Up there the vast majority of their electric power comes from hydroelectric generating stations. Often the word hydro is part of the name of the utility as in BC Hydro. (British Columbia power company)
 
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Old 12-25-17, 02:55 AM
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It must be a regional thing also. All [?] our power comes from generators at the TVA dams but I've never heard anyone locally refer to our power as hydro. If it wasn't for TV and the forums I'd have never heard that term in regards to electricity.
Water and electricity just don't mix in my brain...lol.
I'm that way when it comes to pressure washers but I've lived in the country too long to have any misgivings about electric appliances and my driveway isn't conducive to propane delivery in inclement weather.
 
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Old 12-25-17, 10:57 AM
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It is definitely a Canadian term. Washington state has about 80% of their electric power coming from hydro-electric and no one here refers to it as hydro.
 
 

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