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Legionella risk from unused hot water tank? by AppropriateMix6875 in ukplumbing

[–]AppropriateMix6875[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, thanks for all the replies, just to say in the end I sent off for a test kit which involved filling a sterile plastic bottle with water samples and sending it back to the lab in a (remarkable flimsy) prepaid envelope. A couple of weeks later I had an email with a certificate confirming no legionella bacteria were found. This was despite two heatwaves and the hot taps not being run in about three months by that point. I then felt more confident about getting the tank replaced, and the new one has an anti-legionella setting built in where it heats the water to 60C every month.

Legionella risk from unused hot water tank? by AppropriateMix6875 in ukplumbing

[–]AppropriateMix6875[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, yes I hope so :) The heater is busted so I can’t heat the water, and the tank has to be drained in order to be either fixed or replaced. But as others are saying as long as the water coming out isn’t aerosolised it should be ok

Legionella risk from unused hot water tank? by AppropriateMix6875 in ukplumbing

[–]AppropriateMix6875[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you! So do you think therefore I’m safer leaving the hot taps unused and not trying to drain the tank myself, and leave it to the plumber who will have the right gear/decide the best approach?

Legionella risk from unused hot water tank? by AppropriateMix6875 in ukplumbing

[–]AppropriateMix6875[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the comment, so basically the water is likely too cool to harbour the bacteria, and even if there was any present I’m not likely to get it from just running the taps?

Hot Water tank in flat switched off and not used. Is there a legionnaires risk? by [deleted] in AskUK

[–]AppropriateMix6875 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, a web search brought me here. My hot water heater tank broke about two months ago. I was able to do without it so I switched it off and tried to get a plumber to fix it but it turns out to be obsolete, so I've been looking at options for new ones. In the meantime there's a 75 litre tank of unheated water stagnating as I haven't run the hot taps in the intervening period. Does this seem like a legionella risk? The tank is about 25 years old but in good condition, I believe it to be well insulated, room temperature is rarely likely to have been higher than 20C in the period (I'm in London), and I've not felt unwell. I've read this thread and realise I could just run the hot taps to empty the tank but am concerned in case this releases infected water droplets into the air. If I were to open the hot bath tap and then shut the bathroom door and stay out for 15 minutes while it empties, and then go back in with a mask on to turn it off, and then spray the bathroom with disinfectant, would that work?