Save hot water

  • According to current knowledge, at hot water temperatures of around 60°C there is little risk of these germs multiplying.
  • However, anyone who operates their hot water tank well below these temperatures to save energy or switches off the circulation generally risks legionella bacteria multiplying.

If water sits in storage tanks and pipes at lukewarm temperatures for a long time, hygienically questionable germs can form. Legionella in particular is under discussion in this context. According to current knowledge, at hot water temperatures of around 60°C there is little risk of these germs multiplying. For so-called large systems with a storage volume of more than 400 liters or supply lines that have more than three liters of water content, there are clear regulations according to which storage and circulation must be operated at high temperatures. Single and two-family houses are excluded from these requirements, but it is recommended not to allow the hot water temperature to fall below 50°C.

However, anyone who operates their hot water tank well below these temperatures to save energy or switches off the circulation generally risks legionella bacteria multiplying.

However, there is only ever a health risk...

However, there is only a health risk when contaminated water - for example when showering - is finely misted and enters the human lungs through breathing. As a result, so-called Legionnaires' disease can be triggered, which has similar symptoms to pneumonia. Older and sick people, as well as those with weakened immune systems, are particularly at risk.

So are energy savings and hygienically perfect hot water mutually exclusive? “Absolutely not,” says Helmut Pertz, energy advisor at the consumer advice center. “It’s important to keep an eye on both.” In principle, the temperatures mentioned should of course not be fallen below. Instead, one should consider why there are high energy losses in central hot water heating.

First of all, there is the boiler as the first link in the chain. If this has poor efficiency, a lot of energy is lost here. Inadequately insulated heating, hot water and circulation pipes are another cause of energy losses. And last but not least, a poorly insulated hot water tank causes the water temperature to drop quite quickly.

The consumer advice center’s energy consultants recommend…

The energy advisors at the consumer advice center recommend checking, now during the heating-free period, how high the heating energy consumption is over a longer period of time in which no hot water is drawn. For example overnight. Or how quickly the temperature in the storage tank drops if there is no reheating.

If the losses are high, you should maintain the heating system and have the control adjusted optimally, as well as insulate all heat-carrying pipes 100 percent thick and without gaps - perhaps even provide the storage tank with additional insulation.

This generally allows losses to be significantly reduced. Anyone who pays attention to using as little hot water as possible - through economical fittings, short shower times and avoiding letting water run unused - can expect significant energy savings.

With electric instantaneous water heaters and gas combination heaters, there are hardly any hygiene problems to be expected if the supply lines to the taps only contain small amounts of water.

Detailed and individual advice on this and on all questions about saving energy can be obtained from the energy advisors at the consumer advice center. Thanks to federal funding for energy advice from the consumer advice center, the callback and video advice are just as free as advice in one of the branches in Saarland. To make an appointment nationwide, call 0681-50089-15 or call the free nationwide hotline 0800 809 802 400. More information can be found at www.verbraucherzentrale-energieberatung.de .

Source: Saarland Consumer Center

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