What To Do in a Gas Emergency
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What To Do in a Gas Emergency
If a gas appliance has been badly fitted or poorly serviced, potential risks include gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Here’s what to do if you smell gas or suspect it’s CO poisoning.
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What to do if you smell gas
What to do if you smell gas
It’s crucial to act quickly in a gas emergency. These are the steps you need to take to stay safe:
- Get fresh air immediately; make sure you open all doors and windows to ventilate the area.
- Turn off the gas emergency control valve (also called gas emergency shut off valve) at the meter, unless the meter is located in a basement or cellar or at the LPG bulk tank or storage vessels.
- Extinguish all naked flames and don’t smoke.
- Don’t operate electrical switches (including turning light switches on or off) because this can ignite escaping gas.
- Contact the relevant National Gas Emergency service number for your area. We’ve listed these numbers in the next section.
- If the attending emergency operative identifies an issue with any gas appliances, follow their advice concerning the use of the equipment. Where advised, contact a Gas Safe registered engineer to fix the appliance and check it’s safe.
- If you’re feeling unwell, visit your GP or hospital immediately and let them know you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide.
- Don’t turn the gas supply on again until it’s been checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
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What symptoms could a gas leak cause?
What symptoms could a gas leak cause? One of the first indicators of a gas leak is often the smell, however there are some physical symptoms that may be experienced.
The most common symptoms include:
- Feeling lightheaded
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headaches
If you suspect a gas leak and have any of the above symptoms, please go outside into fresh air immediately and call the appropriate gas emergency helpline.
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Safety Check Your Gas Appliances
The main risks that can arise from having an unsafe gas appliance in your home:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning - Carbon monoxide (CO) is a highly poisonous gas that can be especially deadly because you can’t see, taste or smell it.
- Gas leaks - A gas leak can cause fires or explosions. If you think you can smell gas, then you’ll need to call your emergency service provider immediately. During a gas safety check, a Gas Safe registered engineer will do a visual inspection of pipework and a tightness test to confirm there aren’t any gas leaks.
- Fires and explosions - Safe appliances burn gas in a controlled way, but a faulty appliance or pipework may leak gas which can then be ignited, causing a fire or explosion.
We also highly recommend getting your gas pipework inspected at the same time as your annual gas safety check. As a landlord it is also law to maintain pipework.
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Know the warning signs of a faulty gas appliance?
Know the warning signs of a faulty gas appliance
Look out for these signs. If you spot any of them, you’ll want to get your gas appliance serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer straight away:
- Your appliance isn’t working properly
- It produces a floppy yellow flame rather than a crisp blue one
- Black/brown marks on or around the appliance
- The boiler pilot light keeps going out
- Increased condensation inside the windows
It is recommended that any gas appliance has an annual safety check and service – unless the manufacturer’s guidelines recommend otherwise.
While an annual gas safety check will make sure your gas appliances are working as they should be, an appliance service, as a minimum, is what you’ll need from a Gas Safe registered engineer if you notice any of the warning signs which point to an unsafe appliance.
What is a gas appliance service?
A gas appliance service includes all the usual steps on a routine gas safety check list, but your engineer will undertake a more specific gas appliance inspection with additional tests as detailed in the manufacturer’s instructions. These may include:
- Analysis of the combustion exhaust gases to ensure the appliance is burning gas safely
- A check of the appliance’s condition including signs of heat or distress, effectiveness of seals and gaskets, and cleanliness of heat exchangers.
It’s worth noting that your Gas Safe registered engineer might need to make additional or different checks, because requirements vary depending on the appliance type and model. For example, a boiler gas safety check or service might be different to a gas cooker safety check or service.
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What is a gas safety check?
A gas safety check should only be performed by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer, who will test your gas appliances to make sure they’re safe to continue operating in your home.
A gas appliance safety check ensures an appliance:
- Is properly set and adjusted so the gas burns correctly
- Is suitable for the room it’s located in
- Is physically stable, securely fitted and properly connected to the gas pipework
Your engineer will also make sure:
- There’s an adequate and permanent air supply that’s suitable for the appliance installed
- All safety devices are functioning properly
- Any flues, chimneys and air vents are operating correctly
This can be extended to a full gas installation safety check, in which the engineer will:
- Check the installation is in good condition by visually inspecting the pipework as far as reasonably practicable
- Test the gas pipework to make sure there are no leaks
CO can enter buildings through shared vents, so if you do live in a property with a shared flue or chimney, be sure to share responsibility with other residents to get these checked out annually.
Contact us
Telephone: 01754 481307
E-mail: mark@skegnessplumbingheating.co.uk
Address: Drummond Road Skegness PE25 3EQ