Bottled water coolers have been a regular fixture in offices for a long time, providing staff with instant chilled, filtered water on ‘tap'. Also popular in places including schools, gyms and hospitals the bottled cooler is easy to maintain and install. Over the years, with environmental concerns top of the agenda, the various ‘green' issues surrounding these coolers has triggered the industry to provide more environmentally friendly alternatives such as the Plumbed In cooler. However, in some buildings the only appropriate water solution is the bottled water cooler. Here at Water Coolers Direct we have collected our most common issues with bottled coolers and the very simple solutions:
  1. Split water bottles – although the bottles are made from a strong, hard wearing plastic, the bottles can still split. To prevent this from happening ensure you store the bottles correctly, ideally on a bottle rack or on the floor in a dark, cool environment. Make sure they aren't stored near the toilets to avoid contamination.
  2. Bottle replacement - When putting a new bottle on the cooler ensure the neck of the bottle is wiped clean before it is placed into the unit to avoid getting dust and germs in the machine.
  3. Overfilling drip trays – it is common for some customers to think that there is a water leak somewhere on their machine when the drip tray is full and causes the water to spill. Ensure you regularly empty the drip tray to avoid this.
  4. Green Water – It's important to make sure that you don't put your bottled cooler in direct sunlight. The sun increases the level of algae in the water and turns it green.
  5. Tastes Funny – Sanitising your water cooler roughly every 6 months will keep your cooler in the best condition possible and will ensure good tasting water.
  6. Regular maintenance – The bottle neck and the ‘spike' that it sits on are exposed and so both regularly need wiping with antibacterial wipes.
  7. Bend at the Knees – A typical water bottle weighs 19kgs and according to legislation, the maximum weight a woman should lift is 12kgs. Make sure all of your staff have the appropriate health and safety training.