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Gas Safety

8 TIPS FOR STAYING GAS SAFE AT HOME

Stay in the know when it comes to gas safety

An unsafe gas appliance has the potential to lead to gas leaks, fires and explosions, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, but these are all risks which can be avoided by following some simple gas safety advice.

In the UK, the majority of homes have some type of gas appliance, so we’ve compiled a short list of tips to help ensure you stay safe.

Our top gas safety tips

Here’s our advice on how to keep you and your family gas safe:

  1. Get an annual gas safety check - Get a Gas Safe registered engineer to check all gas appliances in your property once a year. They’ll also do a visual inspection of your gas pipework and a tightness test to confirm there aren’t any gas leaks. If you’re a tenant renting a property, make sure you landlord arranges a gas safety check.
  2. Find a Gas Safe registered engineer - You can use our online search or call us on 0800 408 5500 to find a registered engineer in your area.
  3. Check your engineer’s Gas Safe ID card - You’ll want to check the front and back - this is how you’ll know they’re qualified to do the gas work they’ll be carrying out.
  4. Look out for gas appliance warning signs - If your appliance isn’t working as it should be, there are certain signs to look out for like floppy yellow flames, extra condensation and black marks around the appliance.
  5. Know the signs of CO poisoning - You’ll want to look out for headaches, dizziness, nausea, and breathlessness. More severe symptoms are collapse and loss of consciousness. Find out more by reading our Carbon Monoxide Poisoning article
  6. Buy an audible CO alarm marked EN 50291 - Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing the alarm, so if a CO leak occurs, you’ll be alerted to it.
  7. Ensure adequate ventilation - This is essential for gas appliances to burn properly. You’ll want to make sure that no air vents or chimneys are blocked.
  8. Only use gas appliances for their intended purpose - Don’t use an appliance for something it wasn’t meant for - for example, using a cooker to heat a room.

If you smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, it’s important to contact your emergency service provider straight away. Find your emergency contact number and more on our what to do in a gas emergency page.

For further enquries please contact [email protected] or visit:https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/gas-safety-in-the-home/

Gas Safety for Children and Families

We have supported initiatives with children to ensure that they learn about gas and the basics of gas safety, for the benefit of their families now and for themselves in the future.

Gas Safe Charity in partnership with Gas Safe Register, approached specialist education marketing agency, EdComs, to help it develop a presence in primary schools, in order to: raise awareness of how to stay safe with gas; the potential dangers of unsafe gas appliances; and carbon monoxide poisoning. We wanted to change the public’s behaviour to gas safety issues, and we wanted this programme to act as a channel in order to reach parents as well.

Get Gas Safe website
  • Interactive house explains the gas infrastructure of a house;
  • Films about the Perils to support classroom learning;
  • ‘Spot the safety hazards’ game built into the interactive house;
  • Gas safety checklist to take home and work through with parents; Information and leaflet for parents.

For further enquires please visit https://www.gassafecharity.org.uk/our-programmes/get-gas-safe-for-schools/ or contact:  [email protected]