Southern Norway has had sky-high electricity prices. Most people have therefore looked for opportunities to cut electricity consumption, and thus reduce the electricity bill as much as possible. But one measure is being warned against. – Turning down the temperature in the water heater is one of the stupidest things people can do. You save little money, and then you can get sick, says plumber Øyvind Sandanger at Centrum Rør in Stavanger. The plumber in Stavanger says they have seen many cases where people have lowered the temperature in the water heater. Plumber Øyvind Sandanger in Centrum Rør experiences that people lower the temperature in the water heater to save electricity. Photo: Gunnar Morsund / news Legionella infections are increasing Legionella infection numbers are on the way up again after two years of low infection numbers. So far this year, 62 people have been infected by legionella bacteria. Last year and the year before, around 40 people contracted the potentially dangerous bacteria in their lungs, which in turn has caused illness. Legionella bacteria can lead to death. The latest to be registered is at Stavanger University Hospital, where a patient died a short time ago. Senior advisor Line Ødegård Angeloff at the Institute of Public Health warns against lowering the temperature in the water heater. Photo: Line Angeloff – It is the elderly and people with underlying illnesses who have the greatest risk of dying from infection with legionella bacteria, says Line Ødegård Angeloff, senior advisor at the Institute of Public Health. Legionella bacteria are found naturally around us, and are harmless until they get into the lungs. But if they get good growth conditions in water heaters or other water systems, this can pose a great risk of infection. – We can get the bacteria into the lungs as small aerosols when we shower, says Angeloff. High temperature kills bacteria Legionella bacteria thrive best at 20–50 degrees. And then the advice is crystal clear: Do not touch the temperature setting on the water heater. Legionella bacteria can enter the lungs in aerosols, which are very small water droplets, almost like water vapor, when you shower. Photo: news Nett-TV / news – At home, we do not treat the water with chemicals. So the recommendation is to keep a steady temperature of 70 degrees in the water heater, says Angeloff in FHI. She warns people to lower the temperature to save electricity. – If the temperature is lowered to 50 or 45 degrees to save electricity, it may not have such a big effect in the short term. But in the slightly longer term, you will get a very low temperature in the network out to taps and showers, which in turn can lead to the growth of legionella bacteria, warns Angeloff. Other cost-saving measures The consulting company Kompa has legionella control as one of its main areas. The company often receives questions related to energy saving, temperature and legionella bacteria. Plumber Øyvind Sandanger carries out regular legionella checks in the Stavanger area. Photo: Gunnar Morsund / news – If you have a control unit, it can provide the opportunity to lower the temperature at night. And if you have an old water heater, you can save a lot by changing to a new one, which has far less heat loss, says senior adviser Hanne Skiri at Kompa. Plumber Øyvind Sandanger in Centrum Rør, Stavanger. Photo: Gunnar Morsund / news Centrum Rør has regular inspections of buildings in the Stavanger area. Among other things, water samples are taken, and occasionally too many legionella bacteria appear. – We have found too high values of legionella bacteria. Then we have to dig a little deeper and look at temperatures at tap points and circulation in the plant. Then measures can be put in place to solve the problem, says Øyvind Sandanger in Centrum Rør.
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Saving electricity with the water heater can increase the risk of legionella infection – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
