Our team of local plumbers are on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week, we offer a rapid response to all plumbing emergencies and can be with you in under an hour

Assuming you’re maintaining your water heater properly, most models should last between eight and 12 years. Even if your model is running perfectly, consider replacing a unit that’s more than a decade old. A sudden leak could cause a significant flood. The most common failure of water heaters that requires the unit to be replaced is a leaking tank, And while all water heaters will eventually sacrifice themselves to the mechanical gods, proper maintenance can ensure your unit’s longevity

60 degrees Celsius. The temperature in your cylinder will differ from the temperature for water coming out of your taps. It’s important to note that these need to be different to keep anyone living in your home safe. unless your hot water cylinder is set to the right temperature, you’re at risk of legionella bacteria in your water. Setting your hot water tank to 60 degrees Celsius will help to prevent this from affecting you and your family

While 60 degrees Celsius is the perfect temperature for your water cylinder, water at this heat could cause scalding in only a single second! This means it’s vital to check that your tap water is at a lower heat. In the UK, hot water at the tap should be at a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius. This will prevent accidents while still allowing you to have toasty warm baths

Legionella bacteria is commonly found in water. The bacteria multiply where temperatures are between 20-45°C and nutrients are available. The bacteria are dormant below 20°C and do not survive above 60°C. Legionnaires' disease is a potentially fatal type of pneumonia, contracted by inhaling airborne water droplets containing viable Legionella bacteria. Such droplets can be created, for example, by: hot and cold water outlets; atomisers; wet air conditioning plant; and whirlpool or hydrotherapy baths

Health and social care providers should carry out a full risk assessment of their hot and cold water systems and ensure adequate measures are in place to control the risks. The primary method used to control the risk from Legionella is water temperature control. Water services should be operated at temperatures that prevent Legionella growth: Hot water storage cylinders (calorifiers) should store water at 60°C or higher Hot water should be distributed at 50°C or higher (thermostatic mixer valves need to be fitted as close as possible to outlets, where a scald risk is identified). Cold water should be stored and distributed below 20°C. A competent person should routinely check, inspect and clean the system, in accordance with the risk assessment. You must identify 'sentinel' outlets (furthest and closest to each tank or cylinder) for monthly checking of the distribution temperatures. You should also check the hot water storage cylinder temperatures every month and cold water tank temperatures at least every six months. Stagnant water favours Legionella growth. To reduce the risk you should remove dead legs/dead ends in pipe-work, flush out infrequently used outlets (including showerheads and taps) at least weekly and clean and de-scale shower heads and hoses at least quarterly. Cold-water storage tanks should be cleaned periodically and water should be drained from hot water cylinders to check for debris or signs of corrosion. Design systems to minimise Legionella growth, by: keeping pipe work as short and direct as possible; adequately insulating pipes and tanks; using materials that do not encourage the growth of Legionella; preventing contamination, eg by fitting tanks with lids and insect screens. Additional controls, Water samples should be analysed for Legionella periodically to demonstrate that bacteria counts are acceptable. The frequency should be determined by level of risk, in accordance with the risk assessment. Other control methods, Other methods to control Legionella include copper and silver ionisation and biocide treatments (eg chlorine dioxide). To ensure that they remain effective their application will need suitable assessment as part of the overall water treatment programme including proper installation, maintenance and monitoring. For all your Water Hygiene Needs now’s a great time to call 365 Plumber, with years of experience and training, our local experts are just a click or phone call away