Sanitizing water system

[steveandjil]

Hi all,

I don’t drink or cook from my rv water system (bring bottled water.) it’s used for bathing and washing dishes. As such I only fully sanitize every year or even 2. My question is what most of you do about your hot water heater when sanitizing. Put the chemicals in it? Bypass? Don’t run sanitizing fluid through hot water lines?

Thanks,

Steve

[Sjm9911]

I think some bypass the water heater, something about the chlorine and aluminum water tanks? They think it rots them out faster or something. I sanitize mine, i figure its only there for a short time and then flushed good. No time to eat away at the tank. This is void if you have a diffrent tank liner.

[JimK-NY]

steveandjil wrote:
Oh my goodness. I was asking if people AVOID treating the hot water heater.

To be honest, sorry I asked.

During my first times with an RV, I avoided treating the HW tank. It was a matter of convenience. I was also having difficulty avoiding leaks on the drain plug. I did not notice any issues the first couple of years but the third year, I got horrid odors out of the HW system and it took a long time and many showers before the water again smelled OK. Later I read about the issues with Legionella bacteria growing in RV tanks and decided to never skimp on treating the whole system. I also got a new drain plug which made it easy to open the drain and let the chlorine soak water out.

[kellem]

steveandjil wrote:
Oh my goodness. I was asking if people AVOID treating the hot water heater.

To be honest, sorry I asked.

How else may we assist ? Lol

Kidding aside, it's much more efficient to sanitize the whole system, HWH included.

[BarabooBob]

I think that people read the title of the post "Sanitizing water system" and thought you meant the entire water system.

[DarkSkySeeker]

steveandjil wrote:
Oh my goodness. I was asking if people AVOID treating the hot water heater.

To be honest, sorry I asked.

Hang in there. This forum can be difficult. Try to imagine responses being offered supportively, even though some of us can be cranky.

[steveandjil]

Oh my goodness. I was asking if people AVOID treating the hot water heater.

To be honest, sorry I asked.

[kellem]

DarkSkySeeker wrote:

wildtoad wrote:
Guy’s... He was just asking about the water heater!

How/why would someone want to isolate treating just the hot water heater?

Plus, wondering how creative one may need to be to avoid sanitizing the rest of the system in the process.

[wing_zealot]

cavie wrote:
1/4 cup bleach per every 15 gals water in the tank.

This, plus you need 4 hours contact time. Which means you leave the chlorinated water in the system for 4 hours before you drain and flush.

[DarkSkySeeker]

wildtoad wrote:
Guy’s... He was just asking about the water heater!

How/why would someone want to isolate treating just the hot water heater?

[StirCrazy]

I actualy splurged and used Captain Phab Purge Tank Cleanser this year to try it.

I used to use bleach every spring then spend the day flushing the bleach tast out .whith the Captian Phab I simply put it in and filled up the tanks. ran the water to fill the lines and hot water heater , toped up the tank and let it sit for a day (I actualy did two days) then drain and flush once. this was the first year that I had neither bleach or antifreezed flavord water on my first trip. I was a little hesident due to the 25 buck price tag, but it will do two seasons on my 5th and camper so thats realy not bad.

Steve

[wildtoad]

Guy’s... He was just asking about the water heater!

[jdc1]

kellem wrote:
I dump 1 cup of bleach into fresh water tank and run the sinks and shower until I smell it with both hot and cold on, flush and go camping.

Yep.

[Dusty_R]

Many years ago I read in Consumers Union that you are more likely to get bad bottled water than bad city water.
We only sanitize our mh once, that's when it's new.
Our water at home is from our own well.

[kellem]

I dump 1 cup of bleach into fresh water tank and run the sinks and shower until I smell it with both hot and cold on, flush and go camping.