Are your care home’s LST radiators harbouring bacteria?
It’s essential for care and nursing homes to be easy and efficient to clean as it has to be done so often. Care homes can become quite busy as the staff occupy the residents, care for them and during visiting hours. Part of the staff’s role involves the use of lifting and manoeuvring equipment, transporting users from one room to the next and ensuring that daily activities-like mealtimes are efficiently carried out. Ass care and nursing environments can be busy, the need for resources that are low maintenance is essential. Contour’s DeepClean LST (low surface temperature) radiators and radiator covers provide the ideal solution, they’ve been designed to safely heat your care home whilst requiring little-to-no maintenance. LST radiators and radiator covers Contour’s complete radiator systems come with high-quality Herz Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) for either internal or external fitting. An external TRV kit is where the TRV head is on the outside of the cover, this allows the staff to adjust and control the temperature of the room themselves without having to remove any covers. To read more about Contour’s TRV options, click here. Cleaning Contour’s LST radiators Having clean surroundings in a care and nursing environment is crucial, especially when residents can have weakened immune systems. Contour’s LST radiators provide full access to the radiator for thorough cleaning. By using a simple quarter turn lock, the one-piece casing can be dropped down to floor level effortlessly. For even more movement and efficiency, Rotarad fittings can be installed with the LST radiator, allowing the radiator itself to be tilted downwards to floor level for a full clean and access to the wall behind the radiator. Efficiency cleaning A thorough clean can take a team of people to achieve results, however easy access to and behind the radiators means it can be achieved efficiently with just one person. When you remove a regular radiator cover for cleaning, you’ll often need to cut the existing sealant away so that you don’t damage the existing paintwork or the wall that it’s sealed up to. In contrast, the DeepClean radiator cover design allows you to remove the top and front of the door for cleaning and maintenance, without the need for removing any screws or sealant from the wall. We estimate that in seven hours, two people can clean fourteen regular radiators, whereas one person can clean eighty-four DeepClean LST radiators in the same amount of time! Conclusion All of our radiators contain BioCote antimicrobial protection incorporated into the paintwork, minimising the spread of harmful bacteria, including MRSA and E.Coli. Maintaining Contour’s radiator and guard range has never been easier. The easy drop down front allows for efficient and effective cleaning. Easy maintenance allows you to focus on the things that are most important in a care facility which is the quality of care and wellness of your residents.
What heating to consider for retirement villages
Care and nursing homes normally steal the spotlight when it comes to safety considerations regarding heating, however, retirement villages shouldn’t be overlooked. Even though the occupants of retirement villages are not as vulnerable to injury as those in care and nursing homes, it’s still important to recognise that a high level of care is necessary. There are few things to consider when deciding upon radiators for retirement villages, such as: ease of use, cleaning efficiency, aesthetic appeal and risk reduction. Safe surface temperature radiator covers Although residents of retirement villages are normally active and able to look after themselves, their age makes them vulnerable to injury. Some elderly people can take longer to heal and recover from illness and physical bruising, cuts and burns. Low Surface Temperate Radiator Covers are designed to not exceed 43 C, this way they are highly unlikely to cause harm in the event of a person coming into contact with it. The LST radiators heat output myth It’s a known fact that the elderly feel the cold more than most, making heating an even more important factor in retirement and care environments. Low Surface Temperature Radiators are put in place to protect residents so it’s a common misconception that whilst doing so they restrict the amount of heat they let off. However installing LST radiators doesn’t mean your heating efficiency is compromised. Part of the consultation process that Contour provide involves communication with M and E Consultants. They assess the heat emitters that are currently in use, Contour then design the radiator slightly larger than the heat emitter. This overcompensation ensures that the heat output is not affected. Give residents their independence Part of retirement villages main aims is to make residents feel independent, allowing them to live a happy and healthy life. It’s important to make them feel comfortable in their own homes, ensuring they are not too clinical or cold looking. The LST radiators provided by Contour are designed to complement the room’s aesthetics, this includes a smooth, full-casing and streamlined appearance. Part of not relying on staff is being in control of your own heating. External TRV kits allow residents to control the heat output to meet their needs. Easy access for cleaning It’s important to ensure any public, health and educational building is kept clean due to the quantity and variety of people that visit. Retirement villages are no different in requiring regular cleaning of rooms, corridors and communal spaces. Some buildings can require a cleaner to be present for a number of days to ensure all areas are cleaned. Contour understand the challenges cleaners face when accessing tricky areas therefore their radiator guards all have an easy drop-down front that can be accessed by authorised staff only. In addition to this, a Rotarad rotating valve kit can be installed to give full access behind the radiator. To conclude Although residents of retirement homes require less attention as they are more independent it’s still important to ensure they are safe. There have been incidents in the past which have involved elderly residents being trapped between furniture and uncovered radiators, causing major burns and resulting in months in hospital after undergoing surgery. LST radiators give residents the protection they need, the ability to control their own heating and cleaners the ease of access, all whilst looking aesthetically pleasing.
