The week of the19th September is Gas Safety Week. As part of this, The Gas Safe Register puts on a number of events and marketing campaigns to alert people to the dangers of Gas in the home.
Did you know?
- Having your gas appliances serviced every year will help keep them working safely and efficiently.
- Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can produce deadly carbon monoxide.
- A survey of gas engineers showed that most problems with gas appliances are caused by lack of annual servicing.
To help you maintain your gas appliances in a safe way we have put together some important information for you to refer to:
- Always use a registered gas engineer – By law all gas engineers must be Gas Safe Registered. This is the only governing body for the industry and works to keep people safe. Always check the ID card of a Gas engineer before allowing him to work in your house.
- Get a yearly gas safety check – Make sure you get your gas appliances serviced and safety checked once a year. This includes gas boilers, gas cookers and gas fires. Your gas engineer will carry out a number of test and checks to establish if your appliances are operating safely. They will then advise if anything needs rectifying to ensure your safety.
- Never block airways/vents to prevent a draft. Blocking ventilation is dangerous and could result in carbon monoxide building up in your home.
- Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm. An alarm will alert you to the presence of the poisonous gas carbon monoxide, produced by unsafe gas appliances. Make sure you know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Never use barbeques or as stoves within a confined space. E.g. a tent or indoors. This can cause a build-up of carbon monoxide.
If you think you can smell gas or are suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning (headache, nausea, dizziness) then act fast and follow this advice:
Get fresh air immediately. Open all doors and windows to ventilate the room.
Switch off the appliance and do not use it again until it has been checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Turn off the gas supply at the mains.
Call the National Gas Emergency number (see below).
If you are feeling ill visit your GP or the hospital immediately and tell them that your symptoms may be related to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Contact a Gas Safe registered engineer to check and fix the appliance.
National Gas Emergency number: 0800 111 999.