Immersion Heaters .... Always Wondered....

PasturesNew

It's been years, but I've always wondered what the answer to the following question would be:

If you have an immersion heater that is full of water, a big tank in the cupboard - and - say it's not been used/turned on at all, ever, for, say, 2 years..... what's the state of the water inside it?

Just one of those questions I've had in my head for years, if you can answer it that'd be great.

Because: if you move in somewhere that has one, you've no clue when it was last actually used do you .....

EssexExile

If it comes out a funny colour I'd flush it through. If it doesn't I don't think I'd give it a thought, it's not as if you're going to drink it.

dominoman

The immersion heater is an electrical element inside your standard hot water tank. It's not a seperate tank.

So long as you are using hot water then the tank is being emptied and replenished every time.

If you never use hot water at all then the water will be old and stale. I wouldn't drink it, but for washing and showering I don't see why it would matter.

If you move in and want to be sure, then just run the hot water tap for a 10 mins to flush it out.

PasturesNew

dominoman wrote: »

The immersion heater is an electrical element inside your standard hot water tank. It's not a seperate tank.

So long as you are using hot water then the tank is being emptied and replenished every time.

If you never use hot water at all then the water will be old and stale. I wouldn't drink it, but for washing and showering I don't see why it would matter.

If you move in and want to be sure, then just run the hot water tap for a 10 mins to flush it out.

I meant where the hot water had not been used. No need for it. So water not moved/emptied/replenished at all.

I am not moving in ..... it's just something I've always wondered.

I kind of wondered if it might've "grown" something like er .... random things, like legionnaires disease, or ecoli, or something similar/nasty.

Jonesya

The key thing is heating it up regularly to kill off any bacteria.

If the hot water tank has been sat there, at room temperature, for a long period then yes it is possible bacteria and other nasties could be growing in it. Normally it isn't a problem when the boiler or immersion are running normally because they heat the water to a high enough temperature to kill an bacteria.

HSE guidance on legionella:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/legionella.htm

Swipe

Standing water in a sealed tank after 2 years would be well, just water, as clear as the day it entered the tank. Don't forget it's dark inside a water tank.

Davesnave

Swipe wrote: »

Don't forget it's dark inside a water tank.

.....and if you're a bacterium, no one can hear you scream! :eek: