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21-12-2021

We all know what the big topic of conversation tends to be at this time of year when it comes to domestic heating: how we can keep ourselves warm amid the winter chill. But have you stopped to consider whether the gas heating in your home is also as safe as it could be? 

This is what our Streatham, Esher and Battersea plumbers here at PGS Plumbers would urge you to do, especially given recent inspection figures – as reported by the WalesOnline website – indicating that about a quarter of UK homes have an unsafe gas appliance. 

A gas appliance that is faulty or that has been badly repaired could leave the occupants of a property at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, gas leaks, fires or even explosions. So, if you have any doubts at all, it is crucial to get a qualified heating engineer to take a closer look at it. 

What are the tell-tale signs you need to be looking out for? 

You don’t necessarily need to be an actual heating engineer to be able to detect the first indicators of a possible safety risk with your property’s gas heating. 

It is a very good idea, for example, to be aware of the classic symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, including nausea, headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, collapse, and loss of consciousness. You should not be dependent on this alone, however, especially given that some of the milder symptoms listed here could be easily mistaken for those of less serious illnesses such as a cold, flu or even a hangover. 

That’s why you ought to also keep a close eye on your gas appliances themselves. If you seem to be getting lazy yellow flames rather than crisp blue ones, or you are seeing black sooty stains or marks on or around the appliance, these are good reasons to enquire urgently to our Reigate, Chiswick or Battersea plumbers. It is simply better to be safe than sorry in these situations. 

Having an audible carbon monoxide alarm in your home is a good idea, to help ensure you are alerted if this highly poisonous gas does arise in your property. Remember that carbon monoxide can’t be seen, tasted or smelled, but that the long-term health problems – and even death – it can cause are very real. So, that’s all the more reason for you to be vigilant. 

We have Gas Safe registered engineers on hand to put your mind at rest 

If you do decide to contact a plumber to arrange for them to scrutinise your boiler, one of the most important things of all is to ensure they are Gas Safe registered. We are proud to confirm this is the case for all our engineers here at PGS Plumbers – and if you wish to be reassured, please feel free to ask to check both sides of our plumber’s Gas Safe Register ID card. 

There is no time when it is acceptable to take a risk with the safety of your London or South East England property’s gas appliances; however, this advice probably applies even more strongly during the colder and wetter months, when boilers can be under particular strain. 

Simply give our Surbiton, Carshalton and Battersea plumbers a call now, on 0203 370 0066, for free advice and a fast and competitive quote for the servicing and/or repair of your gas boiler. 

 

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