Finding the Water Temperature to Fight Viruses

Do You Know How to Kill a Virus?

The world has learned more about viruses in the last month and a half than anyone ever expected - and for a good reason. They say knowledge is power and the more you know about methods to protect yourself from the spread of a virus, the better equipped you are to protect yourself and your family.

This how-to guide will be sharing professional tips about cleaning water - something everyone has on hand - to kill viruses and stop them from infecting everyone's families.

Learn How to Kill Viruses

Anyone who has lived through an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, or another major disaster knows that if the water line is compromised, there’s one thing they have to do to make their water drinkable: boil it.

Boiling water might sound like a simple idea but the reasons behind it are scientifically grounded. Boiling water can kill many different types of bacteria and viruses. Because viruses die in extremely hot temperatures, boiling water will inactivate them and make your drinking water safe. What kind of viruses can be made inactive by boiling your water?

Common viruses including adenovirus 5, echovirus 6, enteroviruses, hepatitis A, and poliovirus 1. Any of these viruses can compromise a person’s immune system and cause significant damage. By simply boiling your water, you can render these viruses inactive.

Do Freezing Temperatures Work?

If boiling works, does freezing work as well? It’s a great question but unfortunately, the answer is no. Freezing will not effectively kill germs. What can freezing do? It will cause viruses to go dormant.

They remain dormant while in the frozen state, but as soon as the ice melts, they “wake up” and go from dormant to active. That means when you consume whatever was originally frozen - if it’s not properly cooked or, in the case of water, boiled, the virus will still cause damage to whoever consumes it. The only way to effectively kill the germs and viruses you want to destroy so they don’t harm you is to boil water or adequately heat your food.

Heat Water to 140 Fahrenheit

Why is boiling recommended so much? Water boils when it reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Most viruses, germs, and bacteria are inactivated or killed when they reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can see, boiling water gets your water to a heat that is 72 degrees hotter than the minimum heat level to kill harmful pathogens.

Rather than putting a temperature in your water and having to accurately measure it, as long as you get your water to a rolling boil, you can be sure that you’ve killed all germs, bacteria, and viruses that die at 140 degrees.

If you’re not boiling something, you might be cooking it instead. This is common with reheating meals that include meats like chicken. If you are, be sure to heat your dish up to 140 degrees or hotter to be on the safe side and make sure you’ve killed any viruses and bacteria inside.

Honest, Expert Plumbing Services

Nixco Plumbing Inc. has served the Mason, OH area for all their plumbing needs since 1978. They offer full residential, commercial, municipal, and educational plumbing services. Their expert staff provides fast turnarounds, 24/7 emergency response, and top-notch customer service.

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