Gas Safety Week: Every check counts

We’re proud to be supporting Gas Safety Week 2024, taking place 9th-15th September.

Gas Safety Week is an annual safety week to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is run by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas.

The theme for 2024 is Checking—Every Check Counts; from checking that any engineer working on gas appliances in your home is Gas Safe registered and qualified for the work, to checking that you know what to do in a gas emergency, every check (no matter how big or small) helps to keep you gas safe!

Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly and without warning, as you cannot see it, taste it or smell it.

Here is a guide to some simple checks that you can do at home to stay gas safe:

• Check you have had an annual gas safety check: We’ll write to you when your annual gas safety check is due. Our gas contractor, Gas Call Services, will send a Gas Safe registered engineer to run safety checks on your boiler. It’s really important you let us know if the appointment given isn’t suitable so we can arrange another time to run these checks.
• Check gas appliances for any warning signs. Signs may include lazy yellow/orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance, a pilot light that keeps going out, too much condensation in the room, or error messages on the appliance’s control panel. If you spot any of these signs contact Gas Call Services on 0330 002 1169.
• Check your knowledge. Remember the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse, and loss of consciousness. If you suspect CO, get into fresh air immediately and call the gas emergency services for your area.
• Check the carbon monoxide alarm. A carbon monoxide alarm is required to be fitted in every habitable room of a rental property containing gas appliances (excluding appliances used for cooking purposes). They should be marked EN50291 and display the British Standards’ Kitemark. It’s a good idea to regularly test these to ensure they’re still working and we’ll check it when we do your annual gas safety check.
• Check that vents or flues are not blocked. Vents and flues are there to ensure the gas appliances work safely. Blocking them could prevent this.

If you have any concerns that your gas appliances aren’t working as they should or if any repairs are needed, call our gas contractor Gas Call Services on 0330 002 1169.

If you smell gas or suspect a leak, call the National Gas Emergency Service straight away on 0800 111 999.