Run hot water before showering

Legionella danger: In the house before showering run hot water

07/04/2013

Whether in the house or at home after a long absence: Before you shower first run hot water, because that kills bacteria.

Longer unused taps
If taps were not used for a long time, such as in the apartment or after a trip the domestic shower, you should first run through hot water. This kills legionella. These harmful bacteria can multiply in lines that have not been flushed for a long time.

Legionella can cause flu-like complaints
At best, holidaymakers in their holiday home only have a few minutes of running hot water before they want to take a shower. This also applies to the domestic bathroom after a long absence, as the TÜV Nord informed. This ensures that there are no more legionella in the water vapor, which can be inhaled and thus get into the lungs. The bacteria are killed at temperatures of over 60 degrees. Legionella can cause flu-like symptoms, such as fever or chills, and cause legionellosis, an infectious disease that primarily affects two forms: Legionnaire's disease, which is transmitted by droplet infection and causes life-threatening pneumonia, as well as the usually milder Pontiac fever.

Shower ban in Munich
In Munich, there was even a shower ban last year, which the health authority had imposed for 320 households. There, the limit of the Legionella had been exceeded so far that the Office resorted to this drastic remedy because of a possible health risk. If contaminated water is drunk, sufferers usually have no complaints to fear. (Ad)

Picture: Rainer Sturm