Tips for saving energy: Be careful when lowering the hot water temperature and when ventilating, experts warn

Tips for saving energy: Be careful when lowering the hot water temperature and when ventilating, experts warn

According to a report from www.ndr.de, the Schleswig-Holstein consumer advice center warns against taking health risks when saving energy. Particularly when heating water, lowering the temperatures on the boiler can cause legionella bacteria to multiply in the water and cause health problems. Incorrect ventilation can also lead to mold formation.

Legionella are bacteria that multiply best between 25 and 45 degrees. They can be inhaled when showering and lead to infections. According to the experts, a Legionella circuit in which the water is briefly heated to 70 degrees is not sufficient to kill the Legionella. It is recommended that hot water tanks are not turned down below 60 degrees.

There are also certain guidelines to follow when ventilating to prevent mold from forming. Ventilating for five minutes in the morning and evening is often not enough, especially in cooler apartments. The humidity in the apartment should not be above 60 percent.

This information should be taken seriously as the health effects of Legionella infections and mold growth should not be underestimated.

The possible effects of the warning from the consumer advice center can be diverse. On the one hand, consumers could reconsider their usual energy saving habits and possibly increase the regulation of their hot water tanks to reduce the risk of Legionella infections. This could lead to higher energy consumption and therefore higher costs.

On the other hand, this could lead to increased demand for effective solutions and technologies to combat Legionella, such as Legionella filters or antibacterial coatings for hot water tanks.

With regard to incorrect ventilation, consumers could pay more attention to the humidity in their homes and take appropriate measures to reduce the risk of mold formation. This could lead to increased demand for humidity meters or technical ventilation systems.

It remains to be seen how consumers will react to the consumer advice center's warning and what impact this will ultimately have on the market and consumers.

Source: According to a report from www.ndr.de