Quote:
Originally Posted by SailinAway
It's August 1, the day the new electric rates begin. This month I'm going to experiment with ways to reduce water and electricity usage.
Electric water heater: I need very little hot water. In the summer cold showers would be OK. For washing dishes I can heat water on the stove. Laundry doesn't really require hot water. So I'm paying a lot to keep the water hot in the tank, but I get little return on that investment.
I believe my water heater is set at 120 degrees. I can't set it lower due to the risk of Legionnaire's disease (in fact on study found that the bacteria can grow at 136 degrees). Plan B: Turn off the hot water heater altogether so that cold water is drawn directly from the town water supply. Questions:
(1) How exactly would I do that?
(2) Will the standing water in the water heater cause any damage to the heater or other problems?
(3) When (if) I turn the water heater on in the winter, how would I ensure the safety of the water in the tank?
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Energy conservation concern aside, did I miss something that Legionnaire's disease is spread by running water???
I thought it was spread through HVAC systems and was caused by standing water in the vents somewhere,,,
Has there been some newer discovery I may have missed?
I have a friend who barely survived this and to date we still dont know were he got it, so I have a vested interest in this. Thanks for any new insight.