Legionnaires’ is a serious lung disease caused by inhaling small droplets of water containing Legionella bacteria.
This disease is potentially fatal and can affect anybody. However, some groups of people are more at risk:
- People over 45 years old
- Smokers
- People who are heavy drinkers of alcohol
- People suffering from chronic respiratory or kidney disease
- People whose immune system is compromised.
Preventing Legionnaires’ disease
There are quick and easy things you can do to prevent Legionnaire’s disease.
Run all of the taps in your home at least once a week for one minute. This is known as ‘flushing’ your taps. You’ll do this every day through washing, cooking and making drinks. However, there may be taps in your home that you don’t use every day.
If your home is empty for more than two weeks
If your home is empty for a longer period of time, follow these measures to keep your home safe:
- Clean your shower, including the shower head
- Run hot and cold taps and your shower for three minutes to remove standing water from the pipes
- Flush toilets
Cleaning your shower head
Stagnant water can collect in the shower head. To keep your shower safe:
- Remove the shower head
- Put it in a solution of warm water and limescale cleaning products for two to three hours
- Rinse with warm water
- Reattach the shower head.
Communal areas
If you live in a home with communal areas, Cobalt will:
- Carry out risk assessments every 2 years or when circumstances change, such as an alteration to the water system
- Carry out any works needed following the risk assessment
- Carry out improvement works to water systems to ensure they are safe
- Carry out repair and maintenance works to maintain safe temperatures in water systems.
- Chlorinate water systems annually
For any further information please get in touch.