Whatever the season, many of us rely on gas appliances to heat our homes, provide hot water and cook our food all year round.
Follow our top tips to ensure your appliances are in good condition and working safely from Spring through to Winter.
- Have all gas appliances in your property safety checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer such as us. We’ll carry out a tightness test of the pipework to ensure there are no gas leaks, and a visual inspection of accessible gas pipework to ensure the installation is in good condition.
- Be aware of the symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness.See our previous blog for more information on this silent killer.
- Look out for warning signs that a gas appliance isn’t working properly – excessive condensation and black marks/stains are tell tale signs and lazy yellow flames. Be aware though that gas appliances can be unsafe without displaying these symptoms, which is why we recommend you get them checked annually by us.
- Buy an audible carbon monoxide alarm marked EN 50291 and install it (in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines) near to your gas appliance. These alarms are a strong second line of defence against carbon monoxide poisoning and essential to keep your home and family safe from this killer.
- Use gas appliances for their intended purposes only, It might sound obvious but do not use a cooker to heat a room.
- Provide enough ventilation for gas appliances to burn correctly and make sure no air vents or chimneys are blocked.
Get in touch with us today, we can arrange a time to visit and make sure that you’re ‘gas safe’ throughout the seasons.