7 Ways To Stay Gas Safe This Winter
OK, it might be nearly spring, but with the recent snow and cold temperatures, it certainly doesn’t feel like it and we’ll all have our heating on for a bit longer. This means that we all need to ensure that we have a safe system in our households, from the boiler itself to safety measures. Here’s our top 7 ways to stay gas safe this winter.
1. Service Your Boiler Annually
You should ensure that a professional, Gas Safe registered heating engineer services your boiler on an annual basis. Not only will this ensure that any issues are detected and resolved, it will also mean that you will save money on your heating bills by having your boiler running as efficiently as possible. You’ll also save on repair bills as potential issues will be diagnosed before they become a problem.
2. Service Your Other Gas Appliances
Most people know to get their boiler serviced regularly, but did you know you should do the same with any other gas appliance in your home? We often forget about gas fires and hobs, which still need to be checked to ensure they are working correctly and there are no issues that may become dangerous.
If you are a landlord, you must legally get both your boiler and gas appliances checked annually and get a Gas Safety Certificate.
3. Check Ventilation
Make sure that ventilation bricks, grilles and outside flues are not covered or blocked. If they are, you should clear them to ensure proper ventilation for your heating system.
When burned with sufficient clean air, natural gas undergoes complete combustion, where the only products of combustion are carbon dioxide and water vapour. Lack of clean air causes incomplete combustion, where the highly poisonous gas, carbon monoxide, is produced together with soot.
4. Fit & Check Your Carbon Monoxide Detector
If you don’t have a carbon monoxide detector in your house, you should get one immediately. Carbon monoxide detectors are the quickest way to identify a carbon monoxide issue and could potentially save your life.
Once you have your carbon monoxide detector fitted, be sure to test it periodically and change the batteries when required.
5. Know The Signs Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
You should also familiarise yourself with the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning in case a leak does occur with one of your appliances.
The 6 main symptoms to look for are headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness. If you believe you or a family member have been exposed to carbon monoxide you should contact your GP immediately.
6. Know What To Do In An Emergency
It’s really important that you and your family know what to do if you smell gas or suspect a gas leak.
You need to act quickly. If you smell gas, open all the doors and windows to help ventilate your home and then turn off the gas at the emergency valve control. Do not stay in the property once these things are done. Evacuate immediately to a safe distance and call the National Gad Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. An emergency advisor will provide advice on the situation and arrange for an engineer. Wait outside your property until the engineer arrives and do not use any electrical devices or switches, smoke or create naked flames.
7. Have The Number of A Gas Safe Engineer On Hand
Always ensure you have the details of a Gas Safe registered engineer in case you need them and ALWAYS ensure that whoever works on your gas appliances is Gas Safe Registered. You can check that your engineer is Gas Safe registered on the Gas Safe Register website, here: https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/. You can search for a local engineer using your town or postcode, or check someone’s credentials using their business name, the engineer name or their Gas Safe number.
So, there you have it, our top tips for keeping your home gas safe, not only in winter, but all year round. If you need a Gas Safe registered engineer, then look no further than Bradley Plumbing & Heating. Keep our number to hand (07917 776549) and call us if you have any kind of gas related issue.
