Tag: Gas Safety Week

Gas Safety Week: Research reveals millions of homes could be a Ticking Timebomb

  • 40% of Brits skipped their annual boiler check-up in the last 12 months
  • 54% cited ‘cost’ as the main reason they don’t book a service
  • 18–29-year-olds were the biggest offenders, with more than half failing to book their boiler service
  • Despite this, 91% would get their boiler looked at within a week if it stopped working

With gas leaks, house fires or carbon monoxide poisoning all potential risks of a faulty boiler, many homes could be a ticking timebomb, as more than 40% of Brits admit they have failed to have their annual boiler check-up in the last 12 months.

In a poll of UK households ahead of Gas Safety Week (13th – 19th September), Millennials were the biggest offenders, with 54% choosing to skip their boiler service this year, compared with just 25% of people aged 60 and over. 

More than half of those who said they don’t get their boiler serviced on a regular basis – including a minority who have never had their boiler serviced – admitted it is because it simply costs too much (the average cost of a boiler service is £80*, the equivalent of a new pair of trainers or a family day out).

Furthermore, only 32% of respondents said they would spend any surplus home improvement budget on ensuring they get their boiler serviced, preferring instead to give a room a fresh lick of paint, the carpets cleaned or the gutters cleared.

This compares with an overwhelming 91% of us who would get our boiler looked at within a week or sooner if it stopped working, suggesting home safety has dropped to the bottom of our priority lists.

Indeed, when it comes to carrying out our own safety checks around the home, as a nation we’ve become pretty lax. Only 35% said they carry out a visual inspection of their boiler, while 53% of respondents fail to check and replace the batteries in their smoke alarm, and a worrying 63% do not check and replace batteries in their home carbon monoxide detector.

Darran Smith, Technical Manager for home heating expert, Alpha Heating Innovation, comments: “Our research shows a worrying number of homeowners in the UK are turning a blind eye when it comes to the safety of appliances in their home.

“Of particular concern to us is the number of people missing their annual boiler service. While we all enjoy the comfort and convenience that boilers bring in our homes, we should also appreciate the importance of ensuring their proper maintenance and be aware of the risks of unsafe appliances.

“Daily use of your household’s heating system can take its toll on the various components that make up your boiler. As such, making sure it is serviced annually is important so it can continue to function as intended. One of the most important reasons that you should have your boiler regularly checked is to ensure the safety of your household. When you’re watching TV together on the sofa or the kids are tucked up in bed, you want to know that your family is safe.

“A faulty or incorrectly fitted boiler can cause severe health problems such as carbon monoxide poisoning which, due to its odourless properties, can be a silent killer. Alternatively, you could also experience a gas leak without realising it, which in the most severe cases, can potentially cause a house fire.

“One of the most important steps you can take to ensure gas safety in your property is to have your appliance regularly checked by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. Although modern boilers are highly reliable; the better they are looked after, the better they will perform in the long term.”

* https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/boiler-service-cost/

Warning signs your gas boiler isn’t working properly:

·      Lazy yellow flame rather than crisp blue one

·      Pilot light that frequently blows out

·      Excessive condensation on windows

·      Unusual dark marks or staining around or on gas appliances

Signs that may indicate carbon monoxide poisoning:

·      Headaches

·      Dizziness

·      Nausea and vomiting

·      Tiredness and confusion

·      Stomach pain

·      Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing

·      A fast and irregular heartbeat

·      Seizures

Downloadable ‘Home Safety Checklist’:

To help homeowners make the necessary home safety checks this autumn/winter, Alpha Heating Innovation has created a comprehensive Home Safety Checklist which is free to download from their website now.

Gas emergencies:

If you smell gas or suspect a problem with any gas fired appliance, don’t wait. Call the National Gas Emergency helpline free on 0800 111 999.

For further information, about Alpha Heating Innovation, visit:

 www.alpha-innovation.co.uk 

or for more on Gas Safety Week, visit 

www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gassafetyweek/

One in four Edinburgh homes is unsafe, says gas industry organisation

Confusion amongst carers puts vulnerable at risk

  • Gas Safe Register calls on people to protect themselves and loved ones by getting clued up on gas safety.
  • 1 in 4 homes in Edinburgh have unsafe gas appliances, according to latest inspection figures.
  • Renowned Bad Nana author, Sophy Henn, creates new book to boost gas safety awareness and understanding.

Confusion amongst carers about the signs of unsafe gas appliances could be putting vulnerable people at risk, according to research released today by Gas Safe Register.

The findings are particularly worrying as new data from the Register reveals that 1 in 4 Edinburgh homes contains unsafe gas appliances such as cookers, fires and boilers, compared to 1 in 5 across the UK.

The research involved people in Edinburgh who care for or check in on an elderly or disabled loved one who doesn’t live with them. Three quarters (75%) of these said safety was a key reason for checking in on their vulnerable loved one. Yet 88% of those surveyed in Edinburgh don’t know at least one of the crucial signs that a gas appliance is unsafe.

Over half (53%) don’t know that a lazy yellow flame on appliances such as cookers is a warning sign. Two thirds (66%) were unaware that increased condensation inside windows is a red flag, and over half (54%) didn’t know to look out for sooty stains on or around appliances such as cookers.

There is also evidence of confusion around the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. More than two fifths (43%) of respondents didn’t know that breathlessness is a symptom, more than a third (36%) were unaware that nausea can be a sign of poisoning and almost a third (30%) were unaware that headaches can mean an appliance is emitting carbon monoxide.

The survey also revealed the extent to which vulnerable people may not be protected by an audible carbon monoxide alarm. 12% of those surveyed said they weren’t sure if the person they care for has an audible carbon monoxide alarm and, more worryingly, 13% said they know their loved one doesn’t have one.

This Gas Safety Week (16-22 September 2019), Gas Safe Register – the UK’s official registration body for gas engineers and gas businesses – is urging people to protect themselves and their loved ones by familiarising themselves with the signs and symptoms of unsafe gas appliances.

The key signs are:

  • Floppy yellow or orange flames on gas appliances, such as cookers, instead of a bright blue one
  • Increased condensation inside windows
  • The pilot light repeatedly going out or the boiler fails to light
  • Black or sooty marks on or around your gas appliances
  • Feeling unwell – the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are: headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness

To help raise awareness, the Register has partnered with best-selling children’s author, Sophy Henn, to create a short story based on the original ‘Bad Nana’ series,’ Bad Nana: Better Gas Safe Than Sorry’. 

The book sees Jeanie aged 7 ¾, and her annoying little brother Jack help her nan (aka Bad Nana) save a neighbour from carbon monoxide poisoning, after spotting the signs and symptoms. The book’s aim is to bring the issue to the attention of families and the people they care for, all delivered with Sophy’s signature dose of fun.

Jonathan Samuel, Chief Executive, Gas Safe Register said: “Those who look after others care deeply about their safety and wellbeing and feel a lot of responsibility.

“We don’t want to add to the list of things to worry about, but we want to raise awareness of the signs of unsafe appliances. Unsafe appliances can be deadly and knowing the warning signs can protect you and your loved ones from harm.”

Sophy Henn said: “I’m delighted to be working with Gas Safe Register. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but Bad Nana and Jeanie have a very eventful day when they check on an elderly friend who has been behaving strangely.

“My hope is that this book will entertain children, parents, grandparents and carers alike, while at the same time spreading an important message about gas safety.”

The Bad Nana: Better Gas Safe Than Sorry book is available online at bit.ly/Gas-Safe-Story along with further information about gas safety and details of how to ensure the gas work on your home is safe.

Gas Safe Register is the official list of gas businesses who are registered to work safely and legally on boilers, cookers, fires and all other gas appliances. By law all gas engineers must be on the Gas Safe Register.

bad-nana_better-gas-safe-than-sorry

A third of people in Edinburgh can’t recognise the signs of an unsafe gas appliance

  • A quarter of adults in Edinburgh (31%) don’t know the signs of unsafe gas appliances and nearly a fifth (15%) take no steps at all to ensure their homes have safe gas appliances.
  • This Gas Safety Week (17-23 September) Gas Safe Register is raising awareness about the potential consequences of unsafe gas appliances and remind people how to know they are working safely.

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