There is fear that, as fuel prices rise and resources tighten, the HSE's advice on legionnaires' disease prevention is not being followed appropriately.
Both residential and public structures can be infected with the legionella bacterium. Worryingly, house owners must be aware of the possible hazards of legionella and ensure that any work done on their homes is done by a qualified expert who follows the Code of Practice (L8).
Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels
To help prevent an epidemic, follow these guidelines:
Weekly
Flush Infrequently Used Outlets - Open a tap or valve and purge to a drain without producing an aerosol. Purge until the temperature falls below 20°C or rises over 50°C (dependent upon the supply).
Monthly
Check the temperature of the taps:
Open the cold taps completely - Place the probe/thermometer in the centre of the water flow for the whole 2 minutes, checking that the temperature drops below 20°C.
Open the hot tap completely - Place the probe/thermometer in the centre of the water flow for 1 minute and note the time it takes to reach 50°C.
Quarterly
Showerheads and hoses should be disassembled, cleaned, and descaled.
6 Monthly
Check the cold water storage tank's temperature.
Annually
Examine the water storage tank for trash and sediment.
For more information, please don't hesitate to contact Assured Water for advice and assistance.
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