Kevin Potter, business development manager for hot water solutions at Hamworthy Heating, looks at critical factors in the safe supply of hot water, how they are interconnected and how potential problems can be overcome
Care homes depend on having a reliable and safe hot water supply. The careful planning and maintenance of hot water systems in a care home environment is essential as pathogenic bacteria such as Legionella pose a higher than usual risk to elderly residents. To mitigate this, it is vital to consider all aspects of a hot water system, from design to used materials and proposed maintenance.
Before the start of any concrete planning, a water analysis can provide useful information about water quality and the possibility of future problems with the hot water system. For example, the harder the water, the more likely it is that there will be issues associated with scale. This can be problematic for equipment, efficiency and the hygiene of the system.
High conductivity, chloride levels and acidity increase the risk of corrosion, which can impact on the product and the pipe work, while low conductivity can affect the performance of anodes, which are used to protect water heaters from corrosion.
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