There are over 100 cases of Carbon Monoxide poisoning, resulting in at least 50 deaths across the UK per year.
Most importantly you can purchase an alarm to warn of Carbon Monoxide from Corgi at http://www.trustcorgi.com/consumer/buyacarbonmonoxidealarm.htmx
They seem to claim it is the best thing since sliced bread and you can’t afford to be without one (it’s just under £23 inc.).
This is all in the latest issue of Gas Installer. An exciting title – for the exciting monthly publication of Corgi, distributed to all professional gas installers and any one else who just wants to subscribe (you know, just out of interest). It really is a fascinating read (please, trust with me on this) and much of the info. contained really ought to be in aimed at the the public and not Gas Installers.http://www.trustcorgi.com/about/aboutcorgi.htmx
A few years back I bought a lovely Victorian house in Margate. Being concerned about safety issues I had the old gas fires removed immediately. Lucky I did. We could hardly believe the previous residents were still alive! The letter box flue (which is now illegal) was almost completely blocked by years of dust & debris. I suspect many households are still living with such dangerous situations, especially where families have lived in the same house for decades.
If you are a tenant, then it is a legal requirement that there is a visual inspection of gas appliances every year. So it would seem obvious that homeowners should expect at least the same level of safety in their homes. Just as you would not drive your car with out an up to date MOT certificate, would you?
We recommend that you have gas appliances regularly serviced.
I’m sure you know that new gas installations must be undertaken by someone with the suitable Corgi registration – this is the law. A few weeks after the installation you should receive a Declaration of Safety certificate from CORGI if you have used a bona fide Installer.
DIY of your replacement boiler or gas fire is not recommended! It is dangerous and illegal. Well, actually you can attach boilers to every wall in your house if that pleases you aesthetically, for that modern ‘Art Installation’ effect. The illegal bit is if you attempt to connect it to the gas.
In recent years we (not me, of course) have been asked to do the final checks and ‘fire it up’ on a couple of DIY boiler installations. Answer: “NO”. We want to attend the whole party, not just the end! This very issue has been debated in the Gas Installer, Corgi recommend we do the whole job or nothing at all. It makes sense as the Corgi registered individual who signs it all off is responsible for the whole job.
There are other was to interpret this
1. Gas Installers successfully creating and protecting their niche profession -
profession as defined by sociologists: exclusive rights to perform a task, exclusive entry to profession controlled by a professional body and requiring a set of knowledge.
2. They want to be paid for the whole installation and not just turning up to do the clever bit at the end.
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