As an employer in the UK, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your water systems are safe and compliant with safety standards. Indeed, the Care Standards Act of 2000 states that many types of premises must be fitted with TMV’s (thermostatic mixing valves), and that these valves must meet certain criteria and levels of performance to be compliant. Statistics show that hundreds of people suffer serious injuries after being scalded by hot water each year – this is where TMV’s become an essential safeguarding measure. Maintenance is an important part of keeping TMVs (thermostatic mixing valves) working correctly. If your TMV is not serviced on a regular basis, you could be putting yourself and others at risk. 
 
A TMV is a valve that ensures that hot and cold water is being mixed safely, allowing the correct temperature to be achieved for whatever purpose is required. It achieves this by mixing hot and cold water to a predetermined temperature – usually between 39°C and 43°C. They contain a mechanism that will automatically stop the flow of water if either the hot or cold water supplies are interrupted for any reason. They are often used in settings such as care homes and hospitals where it’s vital that the TMV can be relied upon to provide a safe temperature of water, as patients may not always be able to realise or communicate if the water is too hot. Remember, Legionella thrives in water around 40°C, so a TMV helps to reduce this risk by working with a hot supply of 50°C or higher and a cold supply of 20°C or lower. 
TMV servicing should be carried out annually or more often if a problem arises or the system is performing sub optimally. GES Water carry out TMV servicing in many facilities including schools, hospitality, and health care. Once an assessment of your water system has been completed, it may be necessary for some remedial work to be undertaken to ensure the system remains compliant, something with which we can also help. 
 
Remember, we are always here to help. If you have any questions or require any further information on TMVs or water system management in general, just give our friendly experts a call on 0800 121 8808 today. 
Share this post:

Leave a comment: