PRECAUTIONS WHEN REOPENING A BUSINESS AFTER A SHUTDOWN

Was your business closed for a long period of time due to COVID-19? Knight's Plumbing wants ensure your employees and customers stay safe when reopening your doors. Take a look at some of these precautions we have provided 

 

STAGNANT WATER

Stagnant or standing water that is resting in your plumbing system is no longer considered "fresh" and should not be used for cleaning, cooking, or be consumed. Stagnant water can lead to undetectable levels of disinfectant, like chlorine allowing harmful bacteria to grow including pathogens like Legionella which is responsible for Legionnaires Disease. To ensure all the bacteria is out of your water system Knight's Plumbing recommends to flush your water. Flush hot and cold water through all points of use like sinks, and showers, depending on facility size and water pressure this may need to be done in segments. By flushing your water system you are replacing all the water in the pipes with fresh water. To ensure maximum effectiveness there is a specific order this should be done. If your maintenance staff is unfamiliar with this process, call to speak to one of our experienced plumbers.  

Make sure to also clean all water features, such as fountains, and hot tubs/spas to ensure that they are free of visible slime or biofilm. After they have been cleaned and re-filled, measure the disinfectant levels to make sure that the water is safe for use. After your water system has returned to normal, ensure that the risk of Legionella is minimized by regularly checking the water quality, temperature, pH, and disinfectant levels.

 

INSPECT THE WATER HEATER

After a long period of disuse determine if your manufacturer recommends draining the water heater. Make sure your water heaters temperature is correctly set to 140°F to kill bacteria and also has a mixing valve to control the temperature to 120°F when it flows out of faucets, tubs, and showers to prevent scolding. One of our experienced plumbers can help with this.

 

MOLD

After a prolong shutdown buildings should be checked for mold before reopening. After confirming there is no mold in the building the HVAC system should "flush out" meaning, it should be ran 48-72 hours before occupants arrive.HVAC filters used during this period should be carefully assessed prior to building occupancy and should be replaced with new or clean filters

 

Knights Plumbing is an essential business and has remained open since the pandamic. We want to assure homeowners and businesses that we have procedures in place for your protection. Our service technicians have a no contact policy in order to keep you and your family safe. Trust Knights Plumbing to take care of all your plumbing needs. We are ready to serve our community through COVID19. Visit our website to learn more or give us call at 281-480-0733.

 

To check out our previous blog "Plumbing Resources For COVID-19" click here!