When loved ones are taken ill or need extra care and attention, these are the places we place our trust in to keep them safe and well. Yet these are also the people most vulnerable to Legionnaires’ disease – a silent, unseen killer that can thrive within the water systems found within these buildings. Carried in water droplets, the disease causes similar symptoms to pneumonia and is fatal in 12-15% of cases across the general population.

However, recent studies have shown this fatality rate to rise to a shocking 30% when the disease is contracted in a hospital environment. For those lucky enough to survive, there is also the very real threat of permanent lung damage.

But it’s not just the elderly, young or the sick that are at risk. Even the fit and healthy can be struck down by this deadly disease. It’s a high profile condition that has had serious outbreaks in many developed countries. Despite many cases going undetected, in the USA alone, more deaths are attributed to Legionnaires’ disease than any other cause of death in the workplace. In the UK, it is also widely believed that the majority of cases go
undetected.

While the Legionella bacteria are commonly associated with Legionnaires’ Disease, it also poses a wide range of other health risks, including pulmonary embolism – a potentially fatal condition. It is essential, therefore, to stop these bacteria from entering the hospital or care home environment. The most effective way of doing
this is preventing its growth in the first place by addressing the shortfalls of the water system.
 

According to Denis Kerr, UK Managing Director for Rotex – one of Europe’s most successful manufacturers of environmental heating systems, “the problem is mainly present in old copper cylinders where stagnant water can remain, sometimes for months, breeding the disease.” “Old fashioned cylinders can contain areas of water that are frequently never replaced,” Denis continued. “With increasing pressure to save energy costs by reducing the temperature of the water, the bacteria can survive in ideal conditions.This means that every time water is extracted from these tanks, there is a significant risk of breathing in tiny water droplets containing the disease.”

Modern heating systems such as those produced by Rotex totally eliminate the Legionella bacteria. With the Rotex Sanicube, an anti-Legionella storage tank, fresh water is heated direct from the mains, killing the Legionella bacteria.
 

Using a first in, first out principle, no water remains stagnant within the storage vessel. Plus, with all incoming water passing through an internal heat exchanger, no cold water and, therefore, no Legionella bacteria enters the sterilised water store. The system also makes best use of energy as it only heats the water being used, rather than constantly re-heating old water.
 

The Sanicube is made entirely of plastic with impact resistant polypropylene inner and outer walls. Heat insulating foam fills the space in between. Once installed there will never be any build up of sediment or contamination via a loft tank and, most importantly, there will never be cold spots with the potential to transmit life threatening diseases.

Usually incorporated as part of a new heating system, the cost of installing such products is quickly repaid in terms of lower energy costs, as well as more hygienic water. Used in conjunction with a heating system  designed to run on fossil fuels, solar energy or a combination of both, a considerable contribution can be made reducing the carbon footprint of each installation. In 2006, public health experts blamed a surge in Legionnaires’ disease on climate change.The hottest July on record, followed by a wetter than normal August, is thought to have provided ideal breeding conditions for Legionella bacteria. As climate change worsens, it is possible that Britain could see an increase in infectious diseases.

Transforming the way we heat our water, the next generation of heating systems offer solutions for domestic, commercial and industrial applications – all of which can benefit both ours and our planet’s long term health.And with the news that sudden leaps in disease can be linked to climate change, the two should go hand in hand.

www.rotex.co.uk
Tel: 0117 9611698