10 Top Gas Safety Tips For Home Owners

Usually, the homeowners are unaware of the gas safety and how dangerous it could be.  It has been reported that gas accidents are common across the globe, and the only reason is a lack of education. 

Make your home gas safe. Before you shift to a new construction home, make sure it has received the gas safety certificate. Even if you are going on isn’t, never forget to ask your landlord, for a Gas Safety certificate. The certificate makes sure that you are in a safe place.

Slow leakage of gas from the faulty gas appliance and the corroded pipes can result in a blast, that can be life-threatening. Read this content till the end for the top ten gas safety tips. 

1. Get a gas safety certificate

As discussed above, your dwelling is not safe for you without a gas safety certificate. It is a legal requirement in most states and it is the legal right of a tenant to ask the tenant before moving into a house. A gas safety certificate means that there is no faulty gas appliance in the house, and all of them are in proper working condition. It expires after one year, and the homeowner has to renew it. 

The cost of this certificate is different and varies on the size, location, and the total; the number of gas appliances in a house.  

If you are a homeowner, you can get the gas safety certificate by following these steps:

• Contact a gas safe company. 
• On request, the company sends a certified gas safety engineer. 
• The engineer visits and checks all the gas appliances.
• Get the repairing or decoration, or replacement is done as soon as possible. 
• Pay charges and get the certificate. 

2. Get all the gas appliances checked yearly

It is dangerous to ignore the working of the gas appliances. According to the gas safe appliances, the homeowners, and tenants shall arrange an inspection of all of the installed gas appliances at least once a year to stay safe. This check would be carried out by an authorized gas safety engineer.  The inspection lasts around half an hour and the engineer would make sure that everything is fine. 

These gas safety checks usually take around 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Where is the shut-off valve?

One of the major reasons behind gas accidents is that most homeowners do not know where the gas shut-off valve is. Usually, this is considered to be the duty of the head of the family. This is wrong. Every member of the family shall know the exact location of the shut-off valve so that in case of an emergency they can quickly reach there and stop the supply of the gas. 

4. Learn about Carbon Monoxide

Being the homeowner, you have to make your family safe from Carbon Monoxide. CO has no noticeable characteristics like smell and color. So it’s better to learn about the symptoms that it can bring to you or your loved one. The six common symptoms of this poisonous gas are dizziness, headaches, nausea shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, and collapse.  

If these symptoms regularly prevail among all the family members, it is wise to make sure the working condition of the installed gas appliances. Arrange the check of a gas safety engineer possible at the earliest. 

5. Install a Carbon monoxide detector

Carbon Monoxide is known to be a slow poison that takes you toward death. It is because it is odorless and colorless.  No one can be detected if there is any leakage of the CO from a faulty gas appliance. The Carbon Monoxide detector is available in the market, and install where there are gas appliances. When the detector rings, immediately cut off the gas supply. 

6. Arrange a boiler check yearly

Make sure to service the boiler once a year. This check would not only increase the efficiency of the boiler but also make it run safely. It also sustains the warranty of the boiler. The best part here is that most of the boiler manufacturers usually provide free boiler service within a year.  

7. Look for the warning signs of the gas appliances

To avoid gas accidents, always make sure to read out the 3warning signs written on the gas appliances. This rule is applied not to gas appliances, but the electrical appliances too. Learning about the warning signs is for your safety too. Besides, it makes the heating system healthy. It also makes sure that all the installed gas appliances are operating safely, and that there is no leakage. 

The warning signs also give an alarm that it is the time to call on a safety engineer to make sure the appliances are in working condition and there is nothing dangerous, or if there is a fix or replace immediately. 

8. Make sure your home is ventilated

The ventilation of your home is important to make your home safe from any kind of accident.  The gas appliance requires proper ventilation and makes sure that the air vents are clean and there is no blockage so that the appliances can work smoothly. It is recommended to check the air vents every month and clean them regularly. Also do not put any furniture near the gas appliances.  

9. Do not misuse the gas appliances

It is advised never to misuse the gas instance do not use a stove in the room. It could be extremely dangerous. Also do not let the stove be kept ON for hours, and un attendant. Never use a gas appliance, if it is showing a warning sign.  

The yellow flame coming from a gas appliance is a warning sign, and do not use it. The appliance apparently might be working properly, but do not take a risk. It could be dangerous.

10. Steps to take in an emergency

Never get panic in case of an emergency. It is important to stay calm and take these steps to avoid something big and more dangerous. . if you can sense that there is a gas leakage in your home, immediately open all the windows or doors for cross ventilation. Do NOT switch ON lights,  and cut the gas supply.  In case of serious gas leakage,  leave your home immediately and call National Emergency Gas on 0800 111 999. 

Next wait outside till the emergency adviser comes. In the meanwhile follow the advice given by the emergency advisor. 

Final thoughts !!

Gas accidents are the most dangerous yet most common accidents across the globe. Along with faulty gas appliances, the other major reason is that most homeowners and tenants do not know about the gas safety rules.  First, educate yourself about the gas safety rules and then consider all the above-mentioned steps, to save your life.  

You can never look at the importance of a gas safety certificate, to make sure that all the gas appliances are in working condition. It is your legal right to ask for it from the homeowners if you are a tenant.  Or if shifting t your new house, never take a risk of moving without this safety certificate.