Saving energy at the expense of health?

“For fear of excessive additional costs, some people would prefer to do without heating at all,” reports Heinz-Jörn Moriske of the Federal Environment Service (UBA). However, he strongly advises against it: “There should be a minimum of heating and ventilation,” says the indoor air hygiene expert. Because: “When we cook, shower, dry clothes or even breathe, we produce moisture – and cold air can absorb it less well than warm air.”

As a result, the risk of mold growth on walls in used living spaces increases enormously at 16 to 18 degrees Celsius. “Mold can amplify existing allergies and trigger new ones,” says Moriske. Hours of ventilation can reduce humidity, but in winter that is not an option. He recommends 19 to 20 degrees for living rooms, 18 degrees for bedrooms and 19 degrees for offices. At these temperatures, the risk of mold does not increase significantly.

Watch out for legionella
Boilers for hot water also consume a lot of energy. Can you just lower the temperature here? “We recommend 55 degrees,” says Moriske. That is the supply temperature at which legionella is killed. The bacteria are generally found in tap water, but multiply particularly well at temperatures between 20 and 45 degrees. Legionella can be inhaled through shower aerosols and cause pneumonia.

“Legionella pneumonia is not a harmless disease,” explains the expert. In a house with central water heating and a central hot water tank, the temperature of the regulator on the drinking water heater should be at least 60 degrees, so that the water temperature in the pipe system never falls below 55 degrees, advises the UBA.

“18 to 19 degrees were perfectly normal”
“Room temperatures of 18 to 19 degrees were perfectly normal just a few decades ago,” said Martin Exner, president of the German Hospital Hygiene Association. He therefore does not consider a reduction to these temperatures to be critical. “It only becomes critical if you are cold all the time. For sedentary activities, in addition to warm clothing, you may need to consider a wool blanket for your personal well-being,” says Exner. Moving in between also helps. Through physical activity, the body generates heat. “Anyone who is sick, however, should be given special protection.”

No need to shower every day
In the summer, the Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann (Greens), made headlines with his suggestion to grab a washcloth instead of showering “constantly”. “Daily showering, especially long showers, leads to dehydration and reduction of the protective film on the skin,” says dermatologist Norbert Brockmeyer of Ruhr University in Bochum. The daily shower is therefore quite critical.

For people who are not particularly hard workers, washing under the armpits and in the genital area with a cloth is sufficient, as long as it is changed daily. A bidet is also a good option, but it is available in very few households.

Cold water is enough to wash hands
According to the new energy-saving regulations, instantaneous water heaters or decentralized hot water boilers must be switched off in many public buildings if the water is mainly used for washing hands. From the point of view of hygiene expert Maral Miller, cold water is harmless: “First of all, it is about how we wash our hands, ie the palms of our hands and also the space between our fingers and that we use soap. No one washes with water that hot. that pathogens are killed – otherwise there is a risk of burning,” says the director of the Berlin Vivantes Institute for Hygiene and Environmental Medicine.

Athlete’s foot due to bad slippers?
Cuddly slippers are sure to be a hit this winter. But do warm slippers increase the risk of athlete’s foot? “Foot care is essential for healthy feet. Anyone who wears slippers for a long time does not necessarily have to sweat, even though this could increase the risk of athlete’s foot,” explains Vivantes hygiene expert Maral Miller. “Breathable shoes are important, there are excellent variants, for example made of new wool,” adds dermatologist Norbert Brockmeyer. “If sweat can’t escape, a damp room forms – this is where mold can thrive,” says the expert.