Gas safety advice: Know the risks so you can stay safe this winter
Property maintenance experts Liberty, who have an office in Exeter, are working hard to raise awareness in the local community about the importance of gas safety in the home.
This comes just days before the new energy price cap for gas and electricity is implemented, and when soaring energy prices might make more people tempted to illegally tamper with their gas meter or take on highly dangerous DIY work to their gas systems as they look for ways to make savings on their energy bills.
Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly and without warning, as you cannot see it, taste it, or smell it.
Liberty is urging people to take care of their gas appliances properly and look out for the warning signs of an unsafe appliance to keep their home and loved ones safe.
The property maintenance experts shared these top tips:
- Check for warning signs that could indicate that a gas appliance is not working correctly. Signs may include lazy yellow/orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance, a pilot light that keeps going out or too much condensation in the room.
- Avoid blocking vents during cold spells. Vents are there to ensure your gas appliances work safely. Blocking them could prevent this.
- Never DIY on a gas appliance. It is illegal to tamper with your gas meter and work on your gas appliances if you are not a qualified Gas Safe engineer. If you suspect there is something wrong with your appliance or it is not working correctly, call a Gas Safe registered engineer. You can find one atGasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.
- Know the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning– headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse, and loss of consciousness.
- Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm and make sure your friends and relatives have one too. Check they are marked EN50291 and display the British Standards’ Kitemark.
- Make sure you have your annual safety check. Gas appliances should be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer. If you’re a tenant, your landlord should arrange this for you. Set a reminder so you don’t forget at StayGasSafe.co.uk.
- Look out for your local community. You may have a friend, relative or neighbour who is unable to arrange their own gas safety check or are unaware of what they need to do to keep safe. Help them stay safe by ensuring that they have their appliances checked and serviced regularly, if they are able to do so.
- Check your engineer is qualified for the type of gas work you need doing, e.g. natural gas, domestic boiler. You can find this information on the back of their Gas Safe ID card and on the Gas Safe Register website.
Liberty’s Regional Director Chris Gilmore said: “It is our job to make sure that people’s gas appliances are operating safely and efficiently. In some instances, people do not know the signs and symptoms of faulty gas appliances and carbon monoxide poisoning.
“We hope to alert as many people as possible living in Exeter and beyond of the seriousness of unsafe gas appliances and how they can keep themselves and their families safe.”
Liberty specialises in the full range of property services including reactive and planned maintenance across all technical disciplines, refurbishments, mechanical and electrical projects, construction, and whole-home decarbonisation.
To support people who are looking to save money on their heating bills this winter, Liberty has simple guides and tips that everyone can follow to optimise their home heating to maximise its efficiency on their Customer Hub at www.liberty-group.co.uk/customer-hub/.
