What To Do In The Event of a Gas Leak
Gas is typically a harmless and eco-friendly way to heat your household but it can also be potentially hazardous if a leak arises or an appliance is damaged.
If you smell gas or think that you might have a gas leak anywhere then you must call the gas emergency line immediately. Open your windows and doors to let air in, ensure all gas appliances are turned off and turn the gas off at the mains if at all possible. Do not turn lights on or off and evade using additional electrical switches and appliances as this could cause an eruption. Do not smoke, light a match or any other naked flame.
Never try to examine the problem or try to fix a leak or a faulty appliance.
Loss of Gas Supply
There may be times when your gas supply is interrupted at home. Gas engineers promise to give customers sufficient warning of any disruption, keep interruption to a minimum and make interruption requests on an impartial basis.
Explanations for disruptions can consist of network volume constraints, high system strains, testing and additional emergency circumstances. Gas engineers to retain certain ethics of performance and these state that they must inform customers of prearranged interruptions and in the outcome of an unforeseen interruption, for example an emergency, they must reinstate the supply as soon as possible. Reimbursement may be obtainable if they do not meet these ethics and expenses will be made to you through your gas supplier.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning causes a number of unintentional deaths each year when gas appliances are connected incorrectly, poorly maintained or poorly ventilated. Brain damage can also occur as a result of being exposed to carbon monoxide.
All appliances must be safety checked and upheld and it is particularly important if you live in leased accommodation that the property-owner checks and upholds any gas appliances. This is a lawful requirement.
While carbon monoxide is invisible and hard to notice, there are ways that you can see whether an appliance (fires, radiators, central heating tanks, water heaters or ovens) may be hazardous.
These consist of
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The trial light repeatedly blowing out
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An auburn or creamy flame rather than a blue one
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A dark, brown or burned area on an appliance
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A mouldy smell or signs of smoke
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Condensation appearing on windows more regularly
To keep your household safe and check for the presence of carbon monoxide you can use a carbon monoxide sensor. These detectors sense if there is any carbon monoxide in the air and change colour or set an alarm off to caution you. You can purchase detectors in hardware or DIY stores and you ought to ensure that it meets the right standard before buying it. You must test your sensor every month and substitute batteries when required. Detectors don’t last forever so you substitute them as suggested by the producer.
Don’t ever disregard the sensor and if you suspect carbon monoxide is present in your household then you must evacuate everybody immediately.
Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning can consist of: headaches, exhaustion, dizziness, sickness, diarrhoea, abdominal pains, torso pains and irregular behaviour. A defective gas appliance can cause these symptoms and you must be cautious if the symptoms deteriorate when a gas appliance is in use and if the symptoms decrease when absent from the household but then return again when you are back in the property.
This article was written by Brian Madden; Online Marketing Assistant at Crown Gas.
