Ceredigion County Council

Your landlord should arrange for your gas appliances (such as gas fire, boiler or cooker) to be safety checked and serviced once a year. This must be carried out by a Gas Safe Registered engineer and you should be given a copy of the certificate.

Tips:

• Recognise the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness
• Check gas appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly e.g. lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks or stains on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room
• Buy an audible carbon monoxide alarm for your home and make sure it is located near to your gas appliances in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance. Carbon monoxide can leak from appliances and kill
• Only use gas appliances for their intended purpose e.g. don’t use a gas oven to heat a room or use a gas barbeque inside the house
• Always ensure there is enough ventilation for your gas appliances to allow them to burn correctly and make sure you are not blocking any air vents that provide an air supply to the gas appliance

If you have any worries contact a Gas Safe Registered engineer and arrange for testing yourself.

In a gas emergency act quickly and take the following safety steps:

• Get fresh air immediately. Open all doors and windows to ventilate the room
• Switch off the appliance and do not use it again until it has been checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer
• Turn off the gas supply at the mains
• Call the National Gas Emergency number (see below)
• If you are feeling ill visit your GP or the hospital immediately and tell them that your symptoms may be related to carbon monoxide poisoning
• Contact a Gas Safe registered engineer to check and fix the appliance

Carbon Monoxide is a gas that can be produced by any fuel burning appliance (gas, oil or solid fuel) that is not properly maintained.

You cant see it, taste it or smell it, but it can kill quickly and with no warning. As well as causing death it can cause serious long term health problems such as brain damage.

The six main symptoms to look out for are:

• Headaches
• Dizzyness
• Nausea
• Breathlessness
• Collapse
• Loss of consciousness

These symptoms are similar to flue, viral infections and food poisoning so it is important that they are not missed. Other indicators that there may be a problem can be:

• Symptoms ease or disappear when not at home and come back when you return
• Others in your household are experiencing the same symptoms, particularly pets

Your home may show signs of Carbon Monoxide (CO). Look out for:

• The flame on your cooker should be crisp and blue. Lazy yellow or orange flames mean you need to get your cooker checked
• Dark staining around or on appliances
• Pilot lights that frequently blow out
• Increased condensation inside windows

If you suspect an appliance may be faulty, turn if off and call a Gas Safe Registered engineer or an Oftec engineer (oil) or a HETAS engineer out to test the appliance, the ventilation and the flues.

Installing an audible Carbon Monoxide alarm in your home is a good idea as it will pick up any gas present and give you a warning. These are similar to a smoke detector, cost little to buy and are available from many homeware/diy stores.