– A tough claim, but I can stand for it, says Thore Andreassen who started TermoRens AS in Skien in 1994.
CEO | TermoRens AS
Thore is a master plumber and plumbing engineer and has been in the business since 1972.
He then began his apprenticeship with Norway’s first female master plumber, Ingeborg Markussen. He took a master’s certificate in 1977 and took over Sanitær AS after Ingeborg in 1980.
He has extensive experience in plumbing and after selling Sanitær AS in 1988, he built up Blucher’s (stainless) dealer network in Norway before starting TermoRens as in 1994.
My advantage, he says, is that I have experience with most products and have become “old enough” to tell my experiences without caring about what others might think.
– I speak from personal experience and sometimes get embarrassed on behalf of some suppliers about how far you can go to get a product sold on the wrong information.
So let’s take a look at what TermoRens itself has invested in.
Cleaning of pipe systems
TermoRens has been producing the cleaning fluid of the same name since its inception in 1994. In the beginning, it mainly cleaned heating systems, but the fluid proved so efficient that both cooling systems and water pipes quickly came into play.
Since the start in 1994, this cleaning fluid has saved customers millions in the form of energy and by extending the equipment in the facilities significantly. Equipment such as heat exchangers, water heaters, heating and cooling batteries, underfloor heating systems, radiators etc do not get bad over the years.
The problem is that there is internal fouling that reduces the effect so much that in the end you choose and replace with a new one. It is completely unnecessary when cleaning. The plants regain their original effect. This is very important now with today’s energy costs for electricity, oil etc.
Boilers were also thrown out all over the country and replaced with heat pumps or electric boilers. Then it is especially important to have a clean system that is able to deliver the effect correctly in the building. Before, you could drive a boiler that was jumping down in the basement and which was at well over 90 degrees to threaten the effect in the building. This is no longer the case. You work with much lower temperatures and therefore it is also very important to have clean facilities.
Biofilm often bound up with oxides in water pipes is a breeding ground for legionella bacteria. By using the Thermor’s cleaning fluid, this is removed overnight. TermoRens as has had many “emergencies” to both hotels, sports halls, housing associations, hospitals etc which have had major outbreaks. The cleaning fluid removes all bacteria within an hour, but when the fluid is first dosed in, they leave it in the system overnight to also remove the coating inside the pipe system. Then you can possibly install a fixed system for legionella protection.
Legionella protection
TermoRens AS has worked actively with legionella insurance since 2007. They have good experience with all methods and know what works and does not work as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the various systems. Andreassen says thatfrom January 2022 , TermoRens as only sells products that do not require dosing of chemicals or the addition of heavy metals to the drinking water.
All substances that are added to the drinking water must be approved by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority simply because they are not good in the first place. You then get permission to add a certain amount. This in turn reduces the effect against bacteria and some may also be allergic.
TermoRens has therefore stopped sales of both chlorine dioxide plants and copper / silver plants. Although these plants are effective against legionella, the risk becomes too great. Most recently three weeks ago, they got a new municipality that gave up chlorine dioxide. An error had occurred at the facility which caused the residents of the nursing home to have green hair and the technical room had simply oxidized. Copper / silver causes other problems such as coloring porcelain black or turquoise. The color settles in the porcelain and is not going away. It has therefore been decided not to give a price where such facilities are described by HVAC consultants.
The method TermoRens AS is focusing on now is anodic oxidation. The results from more than 400 plants of this type over 15 years of follow-up with legionella culture samples do not lie. Many large buildings that have had major problems with high legionella levels have had their problem solved.
TermoRens AS itself now produces these facilities which have been named LegioTerm in Norway. As of date, TermoRens as takes care of close to 1000 buildings in relation to legionella security. The customer base consists of many municipalities, counties, government buildings, the military, hotel chains, etc.
The last customer TermoRens AS entered into an agreement on legionella insurance with was DnB Eiendom. Here, all the buildings will be mapped and legionella secured. In addition, the market in Spain is starting to move. A contract has recently been entered into with one of Spain’s largest hospitals in Santiago for legionella protection.
Thore Andreassen
CEO, TermoRens AS
