Why Gas Safety Matters

Important: Smell gas? If you think you have a gas leak or can smell gas, leave the house and phone the National Gas Emergencies number immediately on 0800 111 999.

What’s in this article?

• What is Gas Safety?
• Signs of a Gas Leak
• Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
• Are You a Landlord?

What is Gas Safety?

This week is Gas Safety Week, a week dedicated to raising awareness of gas safety and carbon monoxide poisoning. Unfortunately, in England and Wales there are over 60 deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning every year. As a result, the government set up the Gas Safe Register (formerly known as CORGI), which states that by law, all gas engineers must be registered as Gas Safe.

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At iHeat, we take gas safety very seriously, ensuring that all our boiler installers are Gas Safe Registered. We also offer annual boiler servicing* to make sure your boiler and the whole system including pipework is running safely. For your peace of mind, we make sure all our installers display their Gas Safe card upon arrival so you can be sure the work will be done diligently and safely.

*We only service boilers installed by iHeat.

Signs of a Gas Leak

Although gas problems are less common nowadays, it is still important to keep an eye on your boiler for any signs of a gas leak, as carbon monoxide is very dangerous and does not have a scent, so can be hard to detect. If you notice that your boiler has a yellow flame through the viewing window (more common in older boilers) instead of a blue flame, you should call the National Gas Emergencies number immediately on 0800 111 999.

iHeat Gas Safe Registered Engineers

At iHeat, we take gas safety very seriously, ensuring that all our boiler installers are Gas Safe Registered. We also offer annual boiler servicing* to make sure your boiler and the whole system including pipework is running safely. For your peace of mind, we make sure all our installers display their Gas Safe card upon arrival so you can be sure the work will be done diligently and safely.

*We only service boilers installed by iHeat.

Signs of a Gas Leak

Although gas problems are less common nowadays, it is still important to keep an eye on your boiler for any signs of a gas leak, as carbon monoxide is very dangerous and does not have a scent, so can be hard to detect. If you notice that your boiler has a yellow flame through the viewing window (more common in older boilers) instead of a blue flame, you should call the National Gas Emergencies number immediately on 0800 111 999.

It is also a good idea to have a carbon monoxide detector installed into your home which can alert you if you have any issues and keep your family safe. Other signs of your boiler not working properly include pilot lights frequently blowing out, excessive condensation on windows and unusual dark marks or staining around or on gas appliances.

Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Possible symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Tiredness and confusion
• Stomach pain
• Shortness of breath
• Confusion
• Irregular heartbeat
• Seizures

Are you a landlord?

If you are a landlord, you hold just as much responsibility for ensuring your tenants’ safety. As part of the Gas Safety Regulations 1998, checks must be taken and carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer in order to comply with the Landlord Gas Safety Record. If the property is deemed safe, you will be awarded with a certificate which should include:

• A description and location of each appliance and/or flue checked.
• Name, registration number and signature of the engineer who carried out the check.
• A date on which the appliance and/or flue was checked.
• The address of the property at which the appliance and/or flue is installed.
• The name and address of the landlord.
• Any defect identified and any action taken to fix it.
• Confirmation of the results of operational safety checks carried out on appliances.

As a landlord, your responsibilities are then to ensure that gas appliances and flues are safety checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer and keep a record of this. Failure to do your safety duties as a landlord can result in financial penalties, imprisonment or both. These consequences can include:

• Conviction of landlord
• A fine of £6,000 for each breach and/or 6 months imprisonment
• Insurance cover could be invalidated due to non-compliance
• If there is loss of life, the guilty party could be charged with manslaughter.

You should make sure that an up-to-date record is kept of the gas safety check within 28 days of being completed and that the new tenants are provided with a copy before their tenancy begins. Should any servicing or maintenance need to be undertaken, you are required to give a minimum of 24 hours notice to the tenant if you intend to visit the property. You cannot enter the property without the permission of the tenant, but if they fail to co-operate or be obstructive to their safety checks, you must show that you have taken all reasonable steps to comply with the law, including repeated attempts to secure a suitable date and a written explanation of the safety check as a legal requirement.

If your tenant is still refusing access, contact the National Landlord Association on 020 7840 8939 for further advice.