Failure to Maintain Adequate Hot Water Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain hot water temperatures between 100 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit, as required, throughout resident rooms and bathrooms. Observations revealed that some rooms had hot water temperatures as low as 88.0 and 93.6 degrees Fahrenheit, while at least one room had no hot water at all. Multiple residents reported ongoing issues with the availability and consistency of hot water, with some stating that it took up to 10 minutes for the water to warm up, and others indicating that they often had to use cold water for handwashing due to the delay. The Maintenance Director confirmed these issues during observations and interviews, acknowledging that certain rooms lacked hot water and that a valve replacement was needed in at least one case. Staff interviews corroborated the residents' complaints, with a CNA noting that hot water in resident rooms and the shower room could take 5 to 10 minutes to warm up, especially in rooms farther from the boilers. The Executive Director also confirmed that staff had reported the lack of hot water and that the issue was more pronounced in rooms located farther from the decentralized boilers. The facility's practice of flushing the system each morning did not resolve the problem, and the Maintenance Director had not received formal complaints from residents prior to the survey. The deficiency had the potential to affect all 82 residents in the facility.