Hot Water Service - Mixing / Tempering valves

[lsemmens]

I once knew people who would wash their dishes in boiling water with their bare hands. I saw them pour the boiling kettle into the sink as they washed, so no chance of cooling. I'd much rather the risk of scalding than freezing to death, though. And I have seen first hand the effects of boiling water on the human body, not a pretty sight!!!!!

[weirdo]

these tempering valves are just another stupid nanny state idea
it's just another thing kids need to be educated/supervised with
open the hot water tap and hot water comes out, don't touch it hurts
just like you don't touch fire
imagine a kid growing up in the city being used to these tempering valves and being able to turn the hot water tap open full bore and it doesn't hurt
this same kid goes to the bush or any other older house where they haven't got these 'safe' tempering valves yet expecting he can turn the hot water on full bore just like at home and he scalds himself
I can understand the use of it for senile or mentally handicapped people but not for the general public
when I rinse my dishes in the kitchen I find that real hot water will rinse greasy food remains off much faster so less water wasted
usually when you buy these tempering valves, they come with a little spanner
under the plastic cap you can adjust the flow with this (highly illegal of course like diavalo mentioned earlier so do at your own risk)
it's usually a triangular spindle with rounded edges

[ol' boy]

Did this thread need to be re opened, the missus's HWS just shit the pin!

[gordon_s1942]

Dr Lease said anyone unsure of temperature setting should contact their manufacturer or plumber, and said showers or wash basins not used regularly should be flushed with hot water to eliminate any bacteria.

Perhaps the good Doctor could explain how you can 'Flush the system with Hot Water' when the system is set to prevent this?
Maybe the plumber could disconnect the pipes and boil a bucket of water to pour into the pipes to flush them out unless they break the seals and reset the thermal cutoff which is illegal..............

[SpankedHam]

Legionella likes still water. Hot water storage tanks often have dead zones in them where the stream from the inlet doesn't stir. The counter to this is to have the tank at at least 60c to ensure that even the coolest area in the tank is hot enough to kill legionella. The tiny amount of copper dissolved out of the plumbing together with regular flows (and any treatment from the town supply that makes it to the pipe) is usually enough to keep legionella populations in the pipes under control. You shouldn't have to push 60c water through the pipes to keep everything safe.

Most people have far higher exposure to legionella via their cold water rather than hot. The cold water comes out of my tap at over 30c in summer. Perfect for legionella, but the regular flows together with what ever remains of chlorination from the town supply keeps things under control.

Have your tank go up to 60c at least once a week, stop stressing about the tempering valve reducing the heat in the pipes, and regularly run all your taps to ensure you don't get standing water in branch pipes where nasties can grow.