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Jim Dull
03-09-2008, 11:01 AM
Will hydrogen gas still build up in a water heater in a vacant house if the water heater has the gas and water shut off?
Scott Patterson
03-09-2008, 11:07 AM
Hydrogen Sulfide gas is the byproduct of anaerobic bacteria eating at the anode rod while it is immersed in water. So if you turn the water off and drain the tank it will not build up. But as long as you have water in the tank it can still build up.

You could removed the anode rod and this would most likely solve the problem as well.
John Arnold
03-09-2008, 11:48 AM
This is why you're supposed to run some hot water from the faucet for a bit before turning on the dishwasher in a vacant, yes? Dishwashers have been known to explode from the hydrogen?
Jim Dull
03-09-2008, 01:42 PM
Thanks Scott. I did run the hot water faucets at my last inspection even though the water had been off until the inspection, the tank had been drained, the gas turned off and they even unplugged the ignitor. I appreciate the answer about what causes the buildup because all of the articles I read only said that it would build up and did not address the actual circumstances. I will continue to assume that there is a buildup in any vacant house I inspect.
John Arnold
03-09-2008, 02:39 PM
eLCOSH : The Dishwaser Exploded (http://www.cdc.gov/elcosh/docs/d0400/d000435/d000435.html)
MaMa Mount
03-09-2008, 04:08 PM
Never knew such a thing as this was possible. Thanks for the info.
First thing I always done when starting the inspection was turning on the dishwasher and then moving on throughout the house. That won't be happening from now on.

MaMa
Gunnar Alquist
03-09-2008, 07:41 PM
Yeah, same here. Never heard of it.
Patrick McCaffery
03-10-2008, 01:49 PM
Scott,
My brother-in-law has a water heater that builds up with rust. He flushes it out and then it is OK for a while. Is that the annode tube deteriorating and is it OK? Should the annode tube be removed?

Thanks
Matthew Barnicle
03-10-2008, 01:58 PM
Rust is more likely from the tank. There is usually a glass liner in the tank, but it sometimes cracks and then water gets to the steel tank and it can rust. The rust might be from old galv. pipes also.
Raymond Wand
03-10-2008, 04:49 PM
You could replace the aluminum annode rod with magnesium rod or vice versa.
Scott Patterson
03-10-2008, 07:12 PM
Scott,
My brother-in-law has a water heater that builds up with rust. He flushes it out and then it is OK for a while. Is that the annode tube deteriorating and is it OK? Should the annode tube be removed?

Thanks

Sounds like a bad tank or he has galvanized pipes somewhere along the line and they are causing the rust.