Why gas appliance checks are so important


It goes without saying that safety must be priority number one when it comes to gas appliances in your home. The consequences of a faulty or broken appliance can be extremely serious or even fatal in some circumstances, so ensuring you regularly make all the necessary checks is vital.
Issues can occur when an appliance hasn’t been properly fitted, repaired or maintained, or when vents and chimneys become blocked. These kinds of faults can lead to the production of highly-poisonous carbon monoxide gas, which occurs when natural gas or liquid petroleum gas (LPG) doesn’t burn as intended.
This is why it’s crucial that anyone carrying out any kind of gas work on your home, no matter the size of the job, is recognised by the Gas Safe Register. This is the only official gas register of businesses and engineers in the UK, making it the easiest way to know if a person holds the required qualifications to carry out gas work safely.
What are the risks of unsafe gas appliances?
Gas leaks are one of the most common issues that arise from faulty gas appliances and pipework. The moment you suspect a leak you must call an emergency service provider immediately. It’s always better to be safe than sorry in this situation.
Fires and explosions are another potential, serious risk. While these appliances do burn gas in a safe way to function, if gas leaks and builds up from a faulty pipe or appliance, it could be ignited in an instant.
Finally, carbon monoxide poisoning can be life-threatening and is particularly dangerous as this gas can’t be seen, smelt or tasted when it escapes.
How to spot potential faults
While you should have your appliances checked regularly by a professional, and the below should never be seen as an alternative to having an expert in to examine, there are a few things that you can look out for yourself in-between visits, as advised by the Gas Safe Register.
One of the simplest warning signs is that the appliance is no longer working as it should, or that it’s started to gather black or brown marks around it.
Other warnings include the appliance producing a floppy yellow flame rather than a crisp blue one, the pilot light frequently going out on your boiler or increased condensation appearing on your windows.
How often should gas appliances be checked?
Your gas appliance’s manufacturer guidelines should advise how often a service needs to be carried out. Barring that, the Gas Safe Register recommends annual checks even if no faults arise.
If an issue does present itself, at a minimum, an appliance service should be carried out by a qualified engineer.
The costs of these checks can vary depending on the engineer you use. However, some people are eligible for free gas safety checks, so it’s worth getting in touch with your supplier to see if you qualify.
Gas Safe Courses at Able Skills
At Able Skills, all of our gas courses are taught by experienced industry professionals to the latest Gas Safe standards. Interested in learning a little more about our gas courses? Our friendly team would be happy to chat.
Give us a call on 01322 280 202, request a brochure or pop into our training centre for a chat.
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- View more archives