Gas Safety Week Tips 2014
With such a heavy reliance on boilers, cookers and fires in our every day lives it’s important to have them checked annually by a qualified service engineer to ensure they are operating safely.
Here are some basic gas safety tips to follow:
- Always use a registered gas safe engineer to fit, fix and service gas appliances in your home because it’s the law and will help keep you safe.
- Always ask to see an engineers Gas Safe Register ID card and check the back of the card to ensure they are qualified to carry out the specific type of gas work you need.
- Have all your gas appliances, including boilers, gas cookers and gas fires, safety checked every year. As a landlord if all appliances are safe you’ll be issued with a certificate and a copy will be left with the tenant. Upto 2 years of gas safety certificates must be kept on file.
- If unsafe gas appliances are in situ you could be at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, gas leaks, fires and explosions, Recognise the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness.
- Check gas appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly e.g. lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks or stains on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room.
- Buy an audible carbon monoxide alarm for your home and make sure it is located near to your gas appliances in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance. Carbon monoxide can leak from appliances and kill.
- Only use gas appliances for their intended purpose e.g. don’t use a gas oven to heat a room or use a gas barbeque inside the house.
- Always ensure there is enough ventilation for your gas appliances to allow them to burn correctly and make sure you are not blocking any air vents that provide an air supply to the gas appliance.
Whether you’re a landlord letting a property, an agent managing or a home owner it’s your responsibility to endure this check is done to ensure the continual safety and comfort of the property occupants.
Stay Safe!