It's crucial that your gas boiler is working properly in order to help ensure the safety of your household. If you have any gas appliances or fittings in your home, you should take particular care to avoid dangers such as carbon monoxide poisoning – a very serious health concern.
Follow these five essential gas safety steps to help protect yourself and your household:
Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer
At HomeServe, all of our trained and qualified engineers are registered with Gas Safe. They aim to carry out checks on gas work to help ensure that they are working as they should, giving you peace of mind. Our engineers carry Gas Safe ID cards and are named on the Gas Safe register, so you could check if you're unsure. There are other things to look out for when employing a reputable engineer – find out some of our tips here.
Have your boiler and gas appliances serviced annually
We recommend that you book an annual boiler service to check that your gas central heating system is working safely. Our experienced engineers will aim to carry out a series of tests to check for any faults with the boiler, seeking to make sure that it is burning fuel safely and efficiently. Typically, gas cookers and gas fires should also be checked at least once a year, but check the manufacturer's instructions for all appliances as these may vary.
Ensure your appliances are fully ventilated
Your boiler and other gas appliances must be installed correctly by a qualified professional, with full ventilation. This allows air to circulate freely and could stop potentially dangerous gases like carbon monoxide from entering your living space. Proper ventilation includes leaving adequate space behind your boiler and making sure flues and vents are kept clear at all times. Your HomeServe engineer will aim to check such matters during an annual service, but it's important that you keep an eye on them too, especially if you’re decorating or renovating your home.
Check that the flame in your boiler is a strong, clear blue
It’s typically recommended for you to make time to check your gas boiler's flame: it should be a crisp, strong blue. If not – if it's more yellow or orange – it could indicate that the gas is not burning properly and there may be a carbon monoxide leak. If you spot this danger sign arrange a service from a registered gas engineer immediately – it could be essential to protecting you and your family.
Install a carbon monoxide alarm
Every household with gas appliances, such as a boiler, cooker or gas fire, should be fitted with an audible carbon monoxide alarm. This is a separate device to a smoke alarm and just as important – it’s designed to detect and alert you to any leaks of this hazardous gas. Carbon monoxide has no smell or colour, so along with fitting a fully tested alarm, it could serve you well to learn the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, so you could spot the signs and protect your household.
Contact us today if you’d like to speak to a trained advisor about Gas Safety in your home, we’d be happy to help.
*The below infographic contains guidance and useful tips only and does not constitute professional advice.
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