The recent deaths of three babies at the Royal Maternity Hospital in Belfast from pseudomonas bacterium has only served to hi-light the importance of work places, public buildings and businesses to have a formalised policy and process for the treatment of water.

The source of the Belfast babies’ death is thought to be found in a sink within the neonatal unit which was contaminated. This organism can be found in soil and stagnant water and can infect humans and plants. Therefore represents a genuine threat to Hospitals, Schools, Public Services such as toilets and work places.

Although not directly linked to water it is just one of many life threatening organisms that can have a serious consequence if a Business, School or Hospital chooses to ignore the importance of having a process that ensures water services are maintained and regularly flushed.

Why is it so important to ensure the sterilisation and treatment of water is carried out in the work place?

Not having a scheme for preventing or controlling the risk of Legionella Pneumophila commonly referred to as Legionnaires disease can kill and it is a legal obligation that employers and those with responsiblities for the control of premises should identify and assess sources of risk – this includes checking whether conditions are present which will encourage bacteria to multiply for example, is the water temperature between 20-45 degrees centigrade?; is there a means of creating and disseminating breathable droplets for example the aerosol created by a shower or cooling tower?; and, are there susceptible people who may be exposed to the contaminated aerosols?

What is Legionnaires disease?

Legionnaires disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia which can affect anybody but affects those who are susceptible because of age, illness, immunosuppression and smoking. It is caused by the bacterium Legionella Pneumophila and related bacteria. The collective term used to describe the group of diseases that cover Legionella bacteria is Legionellosis.

On average there are 200-250 reported case of Legionnaires’ disease in the UK each year. It is believed that theses cases are under-estimated. About half of the cases are associated with travel abroad. Infections which originate in the UK tend to be sporadic and no trace to a source can be found. But there are clusters of cases and outbreaks found to be associated with cooling tower systems, hot and cold water systems in Hospitals, Factories and Schools.

The HSWA (Health & Safety Work Act 1974) gives guidance on compliance to the implementation, monitoring management of water systems which includes: all plant/equipment and components associated with that system such as:

• pipework
• pumps
• feed tanks
• valves,
• showers
• heat exchanges
• quench tanks
• chillers

It is the responsibility of Schools, Hospitals, Public Buildings, Offices, Commercial offices that provide water systems where legionella can offer a potential threat to esnure that water systems are monitored and managed for the presence of legionella by  using a proven water treatment service provider.

The approved code of practice for the management of Legionnaires disease states that there has to be  a strict management practice which has to be adhered to. The process includes:

• Identification and assessment of risk – carrying out a risk assessment of the establishment
• Management responsibilites, training and competence – this includes implementation of a control scheme
• Preventing or controlling the risk from exposure to legionella bacteria – review of control measures; monitoring and routine inspections
• Record Keeping
• Implementation of a control scheme

Does your business have water systems? Is your business complying to the above? Can you demonstrate effective management of your water facilities? Do you have a water treatment service in place?

If the answer is NO or NOT SURE Aquatech Services have qualified personnel who can carry out an on site risk assessment. A full report can be provided and expert advice can be offered for the implementation and monitoring of a water treatment service programme to meet with the legal requirements.

Contact us now for a free and impartial discussion with one of our water treatment specialists.

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More recently, a two year old was killed after suffering burns which then turned septic after her mother failed to seek medical attention. The toddler had been held under hot water reported to be 58 degrees centigrade. (Courtesy of HVP Heating Ventilating & Plumbing Magazine).

So why did this happen?

Because these house holds didn’t have anti-scalding products in the bathroom or TMV valves (Thermostatic Mixing Valves) as they are known in the plumbing fraternity.

An experienced professional heating and plumbing engineer will be advising both domestic and commercial businesses about the importance of these devices being fitted to communal showers baths and taps.

There  is no law for these types of devices to be fitted but a professional plumbing engineer will advise the customer on the importance of fitting anti-scald devices and the obvious safety benefits of doing so.

It is law however for a TMV2 to be fitted to a brand new bathroom!

If the water temperature in your bathroom or work offices are too hot to wash your hands it might be time to get them checked!

If you don’t want to scald your family or your employees and you want to bathe and wash safely as a baby then call us for an informal discussion now!

For all your heating, plumbing and water requirements contact Aquatech Services for a no nonsense discussion!

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Customers and Consumers often ask our Installers and engineers “what is the best way to keep my house warm without rocketing heating bills?”

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.

When it is very cold, should I leave my heating on all day on a low temperature or should I set it to come on at a specific time of the day?

For a radiator system you should set the heating to come on at a specific time(s) at a minimum temperature in other words with the heating ticking over that way you’re not wasting energy heating up an empty house.

Recommending times and heating temperatures is determined by the size of the house, the number of rooms, windows and doors and the size of the boiler and radiators. Time and temperature control requires a programmer for time control and a thermostat to regulate the temperature.

How long should I set my heating to come on before I come home from work?

There is no tried and tested formula and it does depend on the size of the house. I would recommend you put the heating on set it at the optimum temperature you want and time it to see how long it takes to give you the warmth you want as you come through your front door. An average family home will probably take an hour to reach the required temperature.

But experiment with the settings that you and your family feel comfortable with. There are some products on the market that provide intelligent delayed start which requires no programming and could save a house hold 10% on a heating fuel bill.

What temperature would you recommend I set my thermostat to?

We recommend 21 degrees centigrade; this is also the industry recommendation. The temperature will often be determined if there are any health considerations or if occupants are elderly.

If the house isn’t well insulated for example or is an older building susceptible to drafts this will also affect your chosen temperature setting.

Our engineers would recommend a thermostat setting of 21 degrees centigrade; however, we would also recommend the use of TRV’s to control the temperature in certain rooms of a home or building.

I am going away for two weeks and I’m worried if we might have a cold spell, what should I do with my heating?

We would usually recommend a thermostat setting of 7 degrees centigrade and setting the time control to be constantly on so the heating ticks over. If the temperature then falls below that the thermostat will start the boiler and ensure the house is protected from getting too cold and pipes don’t freeze. However, this temperature is a guideline only and if you want your house to be warmer than a thermostat setting of 11 degrees centigrade might be more desirable.

Most programmable thermostats afford frost protection at around 7 degrees ensuring that as long as the heating is left on constant; will kick start the boiler into action.

Don’t forget that the above can also be applied to business premises too!

What do you do to ensure your home and office premises is kept warm? Leave a comment in the box below we are always interested to read your comments!

Why don’t you call for a free plumbing and heating audit of your premises!

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Commercial or domestic boilers all have one thing in common they need regular servicing. You wouldn’t buy a car that hadn’t been serviced regularly or not had its brakes checked?

Well the same principle applies to having your boiler serviced! To put it simply, a boiler that hasn’t been serviced can KILL YOU!

Moreover, it can break down when you need it the most!

Between November and February supposedly the coldest time of the year our boilers are on maximum as they work hard to warm us and our homes. When a breakdown happens it’s very tempting to cut our costs and get any repairs or maintenance done as cheaply as possible. There are a lot more breakdowns at this time of the year; invariably commercial businesses and domestic consumers are obliged to sit it out until a gas engineer comes out to fix the boiler!

What happens when the boiler is well past its sell by date and is costing more money to run?

Of course you may not know it until an engineer advises you. Breakdowns are evidence that your boiler is no longer operating efficiently this happens because of the irregularity of the boiler maintenance/servicing and its likely that the the boiler is an old non-condensing appliance.

Customers frequently want us to fix the problem and restore heating and water as soon as possible understandably. An assessment of the overall condition of the boiler and system can hi-light inefficiencies so when the suggestion to replace the boilers/system is mentioned it can be met with a blank stare and a retort that tells you to get it fixed ASAP!

But this is FALSE ECONOMY!

Repairs will temporarily mask what will eventually be a long drawn out and costly process in repairs and part changes.

Changing the boiler and upgrading the system will involve cost in the short-term but will offer significant economy longer term and will save the business or the domestic owner more heart break and money! The customer will benefit from lower heating bills and a constant supply of heat and water!

Sadly, there are too many customers who will opt for the cheapest option of a quick fix it repair on a boiler that is out dated and will continue to run inefficient boiler systems racking up huge repair and maintenance costs each year!

Moving from a non condensing boiler to a high efficiency condensing boiler will save money!

The service company you select to maintain your boilers must be gas safe registered engineers and be knowledgeable to offer clear, impartial advice on your boiler maintenance.

Do you need boiler maintenance and servicing?

At Aquatech Services; our engineers are Gas Safe Registered and compliant with up to date qualifications and certifications.

We provide a range of servicing and maintenance contracts tailored specifically to your system needs.

For all your commercial, heating and plumbing requirements call us! Don’t forget to follow us on twitter for updates and news!

Whilst the corporate livery remains the same the new website has been designed to reflect the changing requirements of our customers.

The website is designed to offer an insight into every aspect of heating, plumbing, construction, mechanical and water treatment services.

There will be regular updates on industry standards and trends, news, reviews and specific questions that are frequently asked by customers wanting a reliable and trustworthy service.

Most importantly, Aquatech will endeavour to de-mystify the myth surrounding the industry by providing honest, trustworthy and reliable advice wherever possible!

To keep updated with industry news, reviews and useful tips please follow us on twitter and Facebook or you can call us!

This represents an excellent safety standard requirement for gas service engineers.

So what’s the good news?

It actually makes no difference to Aquatech customers, as our gas service engineers are already qualified to the new standard which means that when gas appliances are serviced by us the provision of a high safety standard is already common practice.

There are approximately 120,000 registered gas service engineers; 45,000 currently use a flue gas analyser when completing gas safety checks.

In April 2012 this qualification will become statute. Gas service engineers will need to demonstrate how to use a flue gas analyser correctly in order to gain CPA1 qualification, the recognised gas safety course and assessment.

So why has this qualification been made a pre-requisite?

Simple.

Between 1995 and 2010, 594 people in the UK died as a result of CO2 poisoning, with some 2,085 being hospitalised. This is probably just a small representation of those cases that were mis-diagnosed! (Source: H&PM ~Sept 2011)

One death from CO2 poisoning is one too many and if fatalities can be avoided by carrying out simple safety checks using a flue gas analyser then the new safety standard can’t come soon enough, above all else, it will improve safety standards across the UK.

With over 1.5 million high efficiency appliances being fitted each year, a safety standard is a much needed pre-requisite to demonstrate a high level of safety competency.

This doesn’t mean gas service engineers who are registered are deemed unsafe, but it will ensure that appliances are correctly installed and hi-light any faults once installation is complete.

Gas safety checks don’t require the use of a gas flue analyser and any faulty component or faulty installation is not required by law to be checked in this way irrespective of the skill of the engineer!

Are your gas appliances safe and regularly tested? 

Gas Safe Register is the official stamp for gas safety. By law all gas engineers must be Gas Safe registered. The Gas Safe register replaced the CORGI gas installer scheme.

Make sure the person carrying out your gas work is Gas Safe registered and always ask to see their Gas Safe ID card.

Call us for a quote!

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Gas Safe register is not responsible for either the development or competence levels for the registered gas engineers.

How does it work?

Similarly to the DVLA, Gas Safe Register receives information and confirmation of engineer competencies sent electronically from certification bodies. These competencies allow holders to register and maintain their business registration.

In plain english it means that the Gas Safe Register set a range of standards and engineers are assessed to ensure competency and compliance.  The Gas Safe Register issues what effectively is a license to practice on the basis of the assessment.

Gas Safe Register is a member of the Standards Setting Function operated on behalf of the gas industry by Energy and Utility Skills. Made up of representatives from the gas industry including EU Skills, SummitSkills the HSE, awarding bodies and Gas Safe Register.

The SMB (Strategic Management Board) is one part of the gas safety standards setting function and one of its functions is to validate the decisions of the Standards Consultation Forum and the Standards Development Unit.

Separating the role of registration and competency standards setting body took place when Gas Safe Register became the registrar of competent gas businesses in April 2009.

EU Skills is the skills Council for gas and is responsible for setting the competence standards in the gas industry.

In a nutshell the Standards Setting Function was to ensure that competence to use an electronic combustion gas analyser would be made compulsory for engineers taking HTR1 or CEN1 assessments with effect from February 2010 and the competence is validated via the CPA1 assessment.

In essence the whole point to set a standard for the industry was to safeguard the public by ensuring that registered businesses working on gas fires, heaters, and central heating are able to demonstrate their ability to use a gas analyser when commissioning and maintaining appliances.

Any work undertaken after April 2012 on a domestic boiler or gas fire without holding the CPA1 will in effect be operating out of the scope of gas safe registration and will not be complying with the rules.

To ensure that your maintenance and servicing is carried out by a professional and compliant company,  call Aquatech Services.

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