Electric water heater: OK to turn it off?
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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