Winter has officially arrived, and the heating is on.
Nobody wants to be without heating during these colder months. In our hurry to get the heating back on its very easy to forget to check the credentials of the engineer we have coming.
Unfortunately for this person, this is exactly what happened and the consequences could have been devastating!
The customer unwittingly used an unregistered gas engineer to carry out work on his home. It was later discovered that the work was so poorly completed there had been a risk of explosion.
They are now urging others to make sure they use a registered engineer to carry out an annual gas check. This is especially important ahead of winter when households will be using more gas.
After the visit from the first unregistered engineer, the family had weeks of leaks from their boiler. The gentleman then arraigned for an alternative, registered engineer to attend his home, who found a series of faults – some of which could have led to a serious gas leak and explosion.
The customer said: “I believed the engineer who replaced our boiler was qualified. Unfortunately, that was not the case. We had a series of problems so got a registered engineer out to the house who was shocked at what he found.
“It seems we were fortunate there wasn’t a serious leak. Me, my family, even my neighbours, are lucky to be alive.
“I know the cost of living is going through the roof right now, but this is one area you can’t afford to cut corners on. It’s really important to get a gas check and make sure it is done by a registered engineer.”
The contractor who carried out the original work at the customers house has since been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). He was given a 40-week suspended sentence, 200 hours community service and ordered to pay costs of £5,263.
On the inspection of the work carried out, five separate serious defects were found. Any of these defects could have resulted in fatal consequences, from gas explosion, carbon monoxide exposure or scalding. The HSE recommends homeowners get gas appliances boilers, cookers, fires, flues, and pipework serviced every year by a qualified engineer listed on the Gas Safe Register. The Gas Safe Register is the official list of gas businesses registered to work on gas appliances. By law, anyone working with gas must be listed on the register. A registered engineer will check appliances are safe but also that they’re running efficiently – saving householders money.
There have been several gas incidents involving households this year. The HSE says people need to be careful but not concerned. Gas incidents can be devastating but remain extremely rare. There were 25 gas related fire and explosion incidents reported in 2020/2021, despite there being over 22 million households using gas across the country.
Top Tips for Gas Safety
Only use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, fix and service your appliances. You can find and check an engineer at GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.
When your engineer arrives check both sides of their Gas Safe Register ID card. Make sure they are qualified for the work you need doing. You can find this information on the back of the card.
Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm. This will alert you if there is carbon monoxide in your home.
Know the six signs of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness. Remember Carbon Monoxide is a tasteless, scentless gas!
Have all your gas appliances regularly serviced and safety checked every year. If you rent your home, ask for a copy of the landlord’s current Gas Safety Record.
Check gas appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly – lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks or stains on or around the appliance and condensation in the room.
If you smell gas and suspect a gas leak, move yourself and others to a safe area and call 0800 111 999 immediately. Stay safe this winter and read more on the gas safe winter campaign here – Stay safe this winter – Gas Safe Register