If you smell gas, take these steps straight away:
Do:
- Turn off your mains supply
- Open doors and windows
- Once outside, phone the emergency number 0800 111 999
Do Not use:
- matches, naked flames or cigarettes
- electrical switches (do not turn on your lights)
- mobile phones inside the building
Carbon Monoxide Kills – but you cannot see it, taste it or smell it.
Carbon monoxide is poisonous and can be fatal. If an appliance that burns gas, oil, coal or wood isn’t working properly it may give off carbon monoxide. This can also happen if the appliance is in a room with poor ventilation or a blocked chimney or flue.
What should you do?
- Keep your Home Safety Check appointment
- Get any appliances you’ve fitted yourself checked each year by a Gas Safety Registered engineer
- Keep your home well ventilated. Never block flues or paper over air vents
- Have any chimneys regularly swept and kept clear
- If you are buying a carbon monoxide detector, get one that complies with BS 7860 but do not rely entirely on these devices
DANGER SIGNS:
- Flames that normally burn blue are burning orange or yellow instead
- Sooty stains on or just above appliances
- Coal or wood fires that burn slowly or go out
If you have any of these symptoms and you think carbon monoxide may be involved, switch off all of your appliances and call your doctor at once:
- Drowsiness
- Headaches
- Chest pains
- Giddiness
- Sickness, diarrhoea or stomach pains.
If you are concerned about any gas appliance please contact us.
Useful Contacts
For gas appliances:
Gas Safety Advice Line: 0800 300 363 or visit www.hse.gov.uk/gas
For solid fuel, coal and wood appliances:
Solid Fuel Association: 0845 601 4406 or visit www.solidfuel.co.uk
For oil appliances:
Oil Firing Technical Association for the Petroleum : 0845 65 85 080 or visit www.oftec.org
For Gas Safe Engineers:
Gas Safety Register: 0800 408 5500 or visit www.gassafetyregister.co.uk