Home water coolers are a simple yet amazing addition to your daily life. The health benefits of keeping up with your hydration are well-known, and health experts commonly recommend drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day. This is a recommendation, of course, and your water consumption requirement may vary slightly depending on your lifestyle and your diet. Some health professionals recommend sipping on water throughout the day, regardless of whether or not you are thirsty, in order to keep your hydration levels optimal. And it’s easy to do this with Perth water coolers in easy reach - with the push of a button, a refreshing drink is just a sip away.
Water coolers are a worthy investment if you are after keeping on top of your health. And, depending on whether your purchase or rent your new water appliance, it’s important to know the do’s and don’ts of maintaining your water cooler to ensure its longevity and cleanliness. Below, a few tips and tricks to ensure your water cooler continuously and safely provides refreshment to you and your family.
Table of Contents
Do: Be careful of the hot water spigot !
It can be easy to mistakenly press the hot water button and get your fingers burnt by the hot water that flows, so be mindful when you dispense water. Some water coolers have a safety switch in order to prevent burn injuries - whether you are purchasing or renting a water cooler, it’s best to ask if this function is available in the unit you are acquiring, as if you have children in the home, they may end up hurting themselves accidentally while trying to get water.
Don’t: Use Improper Bottle Lifting Techniques When Refilling Your Water Dispenser!
Back injuries can happen because of careless lifting of heavy objects. One moment you are picking something up off the floor, and the next moment is ridden with pain as you’ve pulled a muscle or something of the sort. Because bottles made for water coolers for homes can be heavy, it’s important to remember proper lifting techniques to ensure that you are refilling your water cooler safely.
- Bend not at the waist, but at your knees when lifting.
- Keep your back straight, and go into a squatting position when lifting.
- Tilt the bottle to the side, to be able to get a hand underneath the heavy bottle, and hold the brim with your other hand so that you have a secure grip.
- Keep your back straight, and stand using your legs.
- Tilt the bottle onto the dispenser, and voila! You have successfully and safely replaced your water bottle without hurting your back!
Do: Keep your water spigots clean!
Because your spigots are always wet from dispensing water, as well as being touched by hands on a regular basis, this can be the breeding ground of bacteria if you are not careful. The water that you drink may end up with some bacteria if these spots are not cleaned regularly, which is why it is a good idea to wipe these clean with a disinfectant weekly or fortnightly.
Don’t: Forget Electrical Safety Precautions!
Ensure that the water supply is far from the electrical socket, and that the area around the water cooler’s powerpoint is kept clean and dry to avoid any electrical accidents. A suggestion would also be to ensure that you are plugging in your water cooler at a higher powerpoint, as if the cord is at floor level, this could be a potential hazard should the dispenser leak. The water could travel down the cord and into the powerpoint, which is a risk for electrocution.
Do: Make sure that the area surrounding your water dispenser is kept dry!
Wet floors are the prime reason for slipping injuries that can really incapacitate your family members if they are not careful. To combat this, be mindful of spills from your water dispenser, and make sure that the drip tray is being emptied if it is full, as if it overflows this can spill onto the floor and cause a safety hazard. Investing in a rug if you have a freestanding water cooler, or ensuring that there is a water absorbent mat underneath your countertop water cooler, can go a long way into preventing water pooling around your dispenser and causing accidents. If there are water puddles around your water dispenser, clean it up immediately, and if there is no discernable source of where this water is coming from, check with the manufacturer, or the company you are renting your unit from, if there are repairs that need to be done because of unknown sources of leaks.
Don’t: Let mold grow on your dispenser!
Keep on top of your cleaning cycle. It is generally recommended to give your water dispenser parts a clean every time you change your water bottle - a general hot water wash when done regularly can go a long way in ensuring that your unit is kept in tip top shape, even better if you have some dishwashing detergent that you can soak the detachable parts in to really get to the buildup. Otherwise, because it is a damp environment, mold can grow in your water dispenser’s parts, which can be dangerous as you would be drinking this along with your water whenever you use the dispenser.
Remember that mold not only gives off a foul odor, but is harmful for the body as it spreads bacteria and germs. This can grow in the harder-to-reach areas in the dispenser, so keep an eye on your unit. If you find any traces of mold, don’t delay and clean your dispenser! In most cases, the mold is on the outer side, and if there are hard to reach areas, use a small brush or a pipe cleaner to do away with these dirty bits.
Water dispensers are like every other appliance. To keep them in tip top shape, they require regular maintenance and cleaning. When well-taken care of, these units can provide constant and safe refreshment throughout its lifespan. What’s more, minimizing the risk of water dispenser related injuries and issues is quite easy. All you need to do on your part is be vigilant.
tap - also Aussie Natural coolers have safety taps on the hot water
taps - maybe once again for the lame mans terms
Tags: Water Cooler
