– SKIEN: More people realize that there is a lot of electricity to be saved by cleaning the pipes, and legionella is more common than most people think. The sum of the two gives bright prospects for Termorens.
Thore Andreassen continues to operate with new owners, and he is happy about that. In November, Armaturjonsson took over all the shares in Termorens.
– Armaturjonsson is the largest in Norway in waterborne heat, and we are one of the largest in purification. It is a very nice combination, he believes.
Money to save
Andreassen has preached about savings in heating and cooling systems for 30 years.
– Now it is more relevant than ever. Now people are starting to realize how much money they can save. We have documented savings of 30 to 50 percent on cleaning overgrown plants. Normal payback on cleaning can be less than one season, he says.
With more expensive electricity, heat pump sales skyrocket.
– But it doesn’t help to install a heat pump if the system is unable to give off the heat. There are many people who clean their system in connection with installing a heat pump, says Andreassen.
Legionella
The cleaning liquid, which removes the internal coating in the pipes, accounts for approximately half of Termorens’ turnover. The other half comes from protecting against legionella.
– I have worked with all the systems used. There are three that work well: Copper and silver, chlorine dioxide and anodic oxidation. Everyone solves the problem. But the only thing that solves the problem without the addition of copper, silver or chemicals is anodic oxidation. We would rather not have any additives now in greener times, says the Termorens boss.
– Copper and silver are effective against bacteria, but settle in porcelain, autoclaves and ceramic discs and do not break down in the body. We sold those products up until two years ago, but now we only run legionella treatment without additives.
Rejects flushing
Andreassen would also like to point out that additives cost money all the time.
– Anodic oxidation is a one-off investment with fairly low maintenance. We have 550 plants of that type in Norway, he says.
He points out that the method also makes it possible to lower the temperature of the water, but it is not relevant to make energy saving a main point in the marketing of the legionella treatment.
– Many people think that hot water flushing kills the bacteria, but the bacteria remain in the bottom pans of the boilers and in the biofilms in the pipes. A few days later, the bacteria level is back to the same. In Europe, flushing is out as an alternative because it does not work, according to Andreassen.
If legionella enters the facility from the outside, it is impossible to stop it, but with good protection it breaks down within a short time.
– Legionella everywhere
– People don’t think there is that much legionella, but there is. We look after buildings for the state, county councils, municipalities, property companies and sports halls all over Norway, and we find legionella everywhere. There is much more legionella than people think, so it is important for property owners to take this seriously, he says.
– Not all businesses are aware of the minimum requirement from Folkehelsa that the building must be investigated for legionella, says Andreassen and points to housing associations and retirement homes as examples.
– In housing associations, the chairman has full responsibility if legionella and deaths occur. Many municipalities are good at nursing homes, while others do like the ostrich and stick their heads in the sand. I have been on customer visits in municipalities where they say no when I ask if they take legionella tests. “Imagine if we get positive results! What do we do then?” they say, according to Thore Andreassen.
He sells cleaning fluid to both Korea, Poland and Sweden and has his own office in Spain. The first hospital customer in Spain to buy legionella protection is also in place.
– In addition, the offshore market is at full speed again, says Thore Andreassen in Termorens.
Apprentice with Ingeborg
Thore Andreassen has a background as a plumber and plumbing engineer. He took his apprenticeship with Norway’s first female master plumber, Ingeborg Markussen.
– I did a plumbing apprenticeship with Mrs Markussen. When I started, there were 35 of us and we had many big jobs, he says.
THE MASTER: – Ingeborg has a big place in my heart and is still with me at work, says Thore Andreassen. Photo: Georg Mathisen, Nemitek.
Source: Nemitek
