Will bleach hurt water pumps?

[rogerkathy]

If bleach sits for 5 days in plumbing AND the water pump, will the water pump seals be damaged? I was planning on putting the bleach in and letting it set while I am away for 5 days.

[Bama Rambler]

As long as it's diluted for sanitizing the fresh water system it won't hurt anything. I wouldn't put straight 6% bleach in the system, but the recommended strength won't hurt it.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Even diluted, you don't want bleach in the system for 5 days. Hours or a day is quite sufficient.

[rogerkathy]

Why not bleach for 5 days?

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by rogerkathy

Why not bleach for 5 days?

It's called Leaching. This comes from 25 years work with using chems like bleach, mild acids to clean PFA, PTFE, Teflon. Plastic bottles made of the same material as FW Tanks. The chem is going to do it job from anywhere of a couple hours to 24hrs max. In our studies we did years ago, after that time the chems can begin to "Leach out" other chems that are naturally in the plastics and a container can actually become more contaminated than when we started.. We limit ALL our cleaning procedures to no more than 24 hrs soaking time.

[rogerkathy]

Really good information! Thank you. I will wait til I can empty it out within 24 hours.

[Carrier]

I put a little too much bleach in and left it in over night. The water plump and everything else was fine but it turned the pump pre strainer plastic bowl from a clear to a white finish. It worked ok but o got another bowl and never did that again.

[Villagerjjm]

As mentioned previously, the chlorine in the bleach will cause chemicals to leach out of the plumbing. When that happens, the plumbing pipes can start to become brittle, the sealing washers at connection points will harden and lose their sealing ability and metals will begin to corrode. I will allow for the sanitizing process to go overnight. First thing the next day I drain the entire system, refill to rinse, then drain again.

[dmctlc]

Now that's good information for many folks. Not that I've done it yet but I've given it some thought and with i learned today if I do it I'll do it only for a few hours to be safe. Is there something else that you can use to sanitize you plumbing and tanks that wouldn't cause this issue if its left in for more than a few hours? Sometimes we start things with good intentions only to be interrupted or as we get older we just forget. Thanks and appreciate the info.

[campers302]

I like to take my 25 foot hose and put bleach in it and screw the ends together and roll it around on the ground for about 5 min or so.



Then I unscrew and add water slowly until the bleach is at the end of the hose. I reconnect the hose ends and roll the hose around on the ground some more to mix the solution for the trailer pipes.



Now I disconnect the water line and connect one end to the TT, then connect the other end to our outside spigot and turn it on.



Now being sure I have bypassed your hot water heater. I open the furthest facet which is the kitchen hot water, then the cold and turn them off as soon as I get the mixed bleach water solution. Next the toilet, the shower, then bathroom and finally the outside shower.



Leave this sit over night about 16 to 24 hours and drain and flush with plenty of fresh water through all lines.


Fresh and clean line for the whole season as I filter all water coming into the unit.

[D W]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

As long as it's diluted for sanitizing the fresh water system it won't hurt anything. I wouldn't put straight 6% bleach in the system, but the recommended strength won't hurt it.

X2. A diluted solution of bleach, i.e. ¼ cup of bleach to every 15 gallons of water is not going to hurt the plumbing.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by D W

X2. A diluted solution of bleach, i.e. ¼ cup of bleach to every 15 gallons of water is not going to hurt the plumbing.

Hmm. Folks who fill all the time with chlorinated municipal water don't seem to be reporting a lot of problems.

Nor do the folks with houses plumbed with PEX.

[dmctlc]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Hmm. Folks who fill all the time with chlorinated municipal water don't seem to be reporting a lot of problems.

Nor do the folks with houses plumbed with PEX.

Actually I read several reports that did say that chlorine does cause oxidation leading to eventually failure of PEX piping usually by causing micro-fractures. There's been cases where its happening in less than 10 years. Why isn't it a huge deal probably not happening enough to get attention. But chlorine in municipal water won't be going away soon and, at least in florida almost every house being built that I've seen has PEX including my new home.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by dmctlc

Actually I read several reports that did say that chlorine does cause oxidation leading to eventually failure of PEX piping usually by causing micro-fractures. There's been cases where its happening in less than 10 years. Why isn't it a huge deal probably not happening enough to get attention. But chlorine in municipal water won't be going away soon and, at least in florida almost every house being built that I've seen has PEX including my new home.

I had not heard that it was a problem with Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX). An earlier system was Polybutylene (PB)--the gray stuff. The tubing was okay but the fittings (tees, elbows, etc.) were hard plastic. The plasticizer leached out and the fittings suddenly cracked at the stress point, the inside angle of the elbow or tee. There was a huge lawsuit. My son bought a house that was low-priced because it had PB and the deadline for claims had passed. We re-plumbed the entire house.

[dmctlc]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

I had not heard that it was a problem with Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX). An earlier system was Polybutylene (PB)--the gray stuff. The tubing was okay but the fittings (tees, elbows, etc.) were hard plastic. The plasticizer leached out and the fittings suddenly cracked at the stress point, the inside angle of the elbow or tee. There was a huge lawsuit. My son bought a house that was low-priced because it had PB and the deadline for claims had passed. We re-plumbed the entire house.

Internet is a wonderful tool, sometimes. Google "does. Chlorine in a municipal water system affect PEX piping" of course like everything there's those that claim thats not the cause but if I'm not mistaken CA. banned use of PEX in house because they claimed the chemicals in it was leaching into the water system. I'm no expert i just know what I read. They also say polypropylene piping is better. Hmm maybe I have thst in my house I'll need to check it out.