Most households use some sort of gas appliance. Gas appliances need air to ensure that they burn safely and during this process they produce carbon monoxide which is usually removed via a flue or chimney. If the flue or chimney becomes blocked or the gas appliance malfunctions this could cause the device to become faulty and leak carbon monoxide into a property.

Carbon monoxide is a gas that is hard to detect since it is odourless, tasteless and colourless. The gas is extremely dangerous to health and can be fatal as it stops the blood bringing oxygen to your vital organs as well as cells and tissue. In the UK alone around 15 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning from gas appliances. It is therefore important to ensure gas safety within a home.

To be gas aware and safe in your property, it is recommended that you follow these five safety tips:

1. You should get your main household gas appliances such as your gas boiler or gas fire checked by a qualified gas engineer every year. This best time to get these checked is when the appliance has its annual service.
2. For all other household gas appliances you can check them yourself. To do this you need to be looking for any issues with the appliance and signs that you should look out for include yellow flames, black stains or marks appearing on the appliance along with excessive condensation appearing in rooms.
3. You need to understand and recognise the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning as this will highlight a faulty appliance and a problem with the gas supply. Unfortunately, carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms mimic other illnesses such as food poisoning. However, the common symptoms to look out for include; headaches, dizziness, sickness, breathlessness, tiredness, erratic behaviour and visual problems.
4. You need to ensure that the room where the gas appliance is located is well ventilated as this will help the appliance burn correctly.
5. You should only use the gas appliance for what it was intended for. For example, never use a gas oven to heat a room or bring a gas barbeque inside the house.

Along with these tips it is recommended that you install a carbon monoxide detector. These will alert you with an alarm if carbon monoxide is detected. These detectors are inexpensive and easy to install and could save you and your family’s lives.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

When people are looking to prepare their households for the winter months they are often busy concerning themselves with looking at ways to make their home energy efficient such as checking loft insulation. However, many people often overlook safety measures related to their property and buying the most important safety device of them all – a carbon monoxide alarm.

A recent service has shown some frightening statistics with only one in three households owning a carbon monoxide alarm and only one in five people knowing that this odourless gas can kill. Last year 50 people in the UK lost their lives through carbon monoxide poisoning and a further 4,000 people were hospitalised because of the gas, so households really need to take heed.

Carbon monoxide gas becomes an issue if a gas appliance such as a boiler becomes faulty or poorly ventilated. When this happens the appliance could leak carbon monoxide into the household and because the gas is odourless, colourless and tasteless it will be unknowingly breathed in by the occupants of the property. By inhaling the gas it will mean that the blood’s ability to transport oxygen around the body will be reduced and this can lead to confusion, coma and death in severe cases.

To ensure that your gas appliance isn’t leaking carbon monoxide then it will be important to get your appliance serviced regularly. You can also look out for tell-tale signs that your appliance may be leaking gas. These signs include the appliance burning a yellow or orange flame instead of a blue flame, soot appearing on the appliance and more condensation on inside windows than usual.

Your household should also have a carbon monoxide alarm installed for early warning against any leaking gas. These alarms aren’t expensive and are easy to fit so there is no excuse for not having one within your home. Prices for the alarm range from £12 to £50 and when purchasing one it is recommended that you buy one with an audible alarm which activates when carbon monoxide is detected. You should also ensure it has a British Standard EN 50291 mark or shown with the CE mark and have a British or European Kitemark, Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) or equivalent testing approval mark.

Once the carbon monoxide alarm is purchased you will then ensure an appropriate position for this device in your home. Ideal locations include a hallway or landing and the alarm should not be fitted to a ceiling but be visible at head height. The alarm should also be placed at least one metre away from gas appliances.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

CO2, or carbon dioxide, is a silent killer and as most people are more interested in carbon monoxide, it can often go undetected until it’s to late. The air we breathe has around 21% CO2 in it naturally and this suits us fine, however as the percentage rises and we inhale it, this noxious gas takes the place of oxygen in the blood stream and quickly poisons the body. High levels of CO2 can cause organ failure, brain damage and even death in some cases.

CO2 Dangers in the Home
Carbon dioxide is an odourless, colourless gas and is typically produced by gas boilers in the home. In a properly functioning system, the CO2 gas is released into the atmosphere outside the home through the boiler’s flue and there isn’t a problem. Should the flue become blocked or damaged though, the CO2 emissions can seep into the rooms around the boiler and cause poisoning. Even worse is when the CO2 is converted into carbon monoxide because of the lack of ventilation and this gas seeps into the house. CO2 poisoning can occur within minutes in extreme cases and once the victim falls unconscious then it is unlikely they will survive unless found by someone else.

Avoiding the Dangers of CO2
There are a number of ways to avoid a CO2 poisoning tragedy and most are easy to do and relatively inexpensive. So for example:

• You should arrange to have an annual boiler service performed by a Corgi registered gas engineer. These services check your boiler for excessive CO2 production and also check that the flue is fully operational and clear of any blockages or leakages. Should a problem be found then it can easily be fixed at the time of the service.
• Your home should have adequate ventilation which means that built-in vents shouldn’t be blocked in any way – from the inside or the outside. During the warmer months you can have windows and doors open to increase the ventilation if you think that there may be a CO2 problem.
• You can also buy a CO2 alarm which will alert you to the presence of high CO2 levels before they can do any damage. These alarms are inexpensive at around £20 and can be placed at various places around the home if you want, although one should be placed close to the boiler and flue for obvious reasons.

New boilers and flue systems very rarely cause problems however older boilers can and it is worth spending a few extra pounds each year to safeguard the people in your home. CO2 poisoning is quick and the gas is undetectable by the senses so paying out for an alarm to do the detecting is surely a small price to pay in anyone’s book – I know it certainly is in mine.

Guest Article by Clare Lynock

Two recent episodes from the north of England proves how careful you have to be with boilers, with an explosion at a Darwen Church and a family escaping death from fumes in Burnley.

A few days into the new year and parts of the chimney stack from the Sacred Heart and St Edward’s Roman Catholic Church fell to the ground as gas escaped into the boiler’s flue and caused an explosion. Fire crews called to the scene immediately isolated the gas supply and engineers shut down the boiler room, condemning the equipment. A second boiler, adjacent to the church boiler and used to heat a neighbouring school, was also condemned.

The explosion, at around 8am in the morning, occurred after the boilers were lit. Once the boilers were made safe, the church and school were given heaters to keep the cold at bay.

Up the road in Burnley a family had a lucky escape on New Year’s Eve due to the effects of carbon monoxide fumes escaping from a faulty gas boiler. Only the arrival of the house owner’s daughter prevented the deaths of the nine people staying there.

Arriving at the house at around 9:30am, the daughter encountered a horrific scene, with the nine people in an advanced state of carbon monoxide poisoning, with some asleep and some wandering around in a state of stress. The daughter took immediate action, flinging windows open and getting people out of the house.

Doctors at the Royal Blackburn Hospital said the rescued people were around 20 minutes away from death if they had stayed in the house. Each person had high levels of carbon monoxide in their systems and were given oxygen on arrival at hospital. None were detained overnight.

A National Grid engineer was dispatched to turn the boiler off and advised the family to call in a Corgi registered fitter to supply a new system. It is believed the faulty boiler was old. A National Grid spokesman reminded people through the local media that boilers should be serviced annually if they are to be trusted to work safely and efficiently.

The deadly carbon monoxide prevents blood from doing its job properly by stopping the supply of oxygen to organs, tissues and cells. The gases are caused when the carbon based fuel in the boiler is not burned completely, creating a highly toxic gas which people find hard to smell. They can become overcome without realising there is a problem.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

The average house can contain so many hazards and things that can potentially go wrong and it’s a wonder that sometimes we can sleep at night.

But the main thing, is not to panic. And this applies strongly to your central heating boiler.

If you think it is having a problem, then there are certain steps to take.

Now, always bear in mind that a boiler is nowadays a complex piece of kit that contains super hot elements and highly dangerous exhaust gases. Do not, under any circumstances, attempt any boiler repair yourself. It is the law that only a qualified engineer should inspect, or repair a gas boiler for example. And for one simple reason, in the U.K, alone there are hundreds of deaths that are blamed on faulty boilers. And not from what most people might think is the cause, an exploding boiler, but from a more silent enemy, carbon monoxide.

So, before we go any further about what to do in the case of an emergency, remember three basic rules: 1. do not attempt any DIY repair on a boiler, call a professional; 2. make sure it is serviced every year; and, 3. regularly give your boiler the once over (is there any discharge for example, or is it making a funny noise).

Right, that’s clear hopefully, now what do if there is a problem.

Firstly, switch the boiler off. And this means turn the switch off at the control box which should shut the boiler down. Also, if you can and if it is safe, turn off the fuel supply. And even if you can’t smell any fumes, open as many windows as you can and if you think there is immediate danger from fumes, or a boiler which is about to blow (unlikely, but it can happen), get everyone out of the house.

When everyone is outside and accounted for and you think there is a major problem such as a significant leak, or danger of an explosion, call the emergency services, as they will need to be on scene to assess the level of danger. If there’s no immediate danger to life, or property, call your energy supplier and get them around to assess the problem.

Now, in these situations it so easy to panic and run around like a headless chicken. But the best thing to do is try and keep calm and be aware that initially it’s all about making sure people are safe and out of harms way.

And nowadays there are a number of cheap, but highly effective alarms available on the market that means keeping safe is not just a matter of guess work.

Smoke alarms are extremely sensible and every house should have a number in key locations. But also invest in a carbon monoxide alarm which will give you and your family a head start should your boiler start to misbehave.

So, remember, if you have a boiler problem, keep calm, switch it off, also stop the fuel supply if possible, open as many windows as possible and get everyone in the property to a safe place. Then call in the professionals.

Guest Article by Neil Camp