My elderly mother has a guest bathroom that hasn’t been used in six months. I am concerned that the shower and faucets need to be flushed before anyone uses them, in order to avoid Legionella. The water temperature, at the faucet closest to the water heater, with a regular food thermometer, was 138°F. The shower is the farthest faucet from the water heater.
If I flush the water lines, do all faucets in the house have to be flushed? How many minutes? Should I wear a mask? Should the family leave the house? Can the Legionella spread to the tub and shower curtain and throughout the house? Your expert advice will be greatly appreciated.
Showering is not a risk. Our contrarian view has credibility since I was a co-author of the first report that suggested showering was linked to Legionnaires’ disease. We were wrong, and we will publish info that refutes the issue of showering as a risk factor for contracting Legionnaires’ disease. So nothing is needed for your elderly mother with respect to showering.
If she smokes cigarettes, persuade her to stop. Smoking is a legitimate risk factor.