Imagine coming home from a hard days work (or play). You unlock your door and you cant wait to sit down and relax. Wait. What’s that smell? “Its Gas – Arh”, I here you say. Don’t panic, we’ve got your back. Follow are advice, here.
First thing you need to do is go outside and from across the road, call the National Gas Helpline on 0800 111 999. This telephone number is free. Give the advisor as much information as possible (e.g. your name, address etc.) and listen to their advice.
A National Gas Helpline advisor will send a Gas Safe Engineer to your property to ensure everything is safe. Please stay outside your property and wait until the Gas Safe Engineer arrives.
The Gas Safe Engineer will go inside your property and make sure it is safe. After he/she has finished the full property inspection, they will let you when it is safe for your to go inside.
Do not enter the property.
While you are inside the property never, light a match/lighter (or any other kind of naked flame) smoke, use any mobile/electrical items/appliances or doorbells, as this could cause an explosion or fire.
DO
• Call Free: National Gas Helpline Immediately – 0800 111 999
• Listen and follow the instructions given to you by the advisor.
NEVER
• Stay inside the property,
• Light a match/use a lighter (or any other kind of naked flame) in the property,
• Smoke,
• Use mobile phones,
• Switch any electrical switches/appliances on or off, or
• Use the doorbells.
SYMPTOMS
Gas gives off carbon monoxide fumes, so if you have been in a property and have been exposed you may start to feel unwell. Therefore, you experience any symptoms, you must go straight to the doctors/walk in centre or A&E to get checked out.
Remember it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Your doctor should examine you and ask if you are suffering from any of the following symptoms:
• Headache,
• Nausea,
• Dizziness,
• Fatigue,
• Breathing problems,
• Sore eyes or
• Sore throat.
PREVENTION
Faulty gas appliances or pipework, are the most common causes of gas leaks.
To make sure your appliances and pipework are safe to use, call a gas safe registered (CORGI PREVIOUSLY) engineer. The Gas Safe Register advises that appliances should be checked once every year or follow the safety instructions on the appliances.
As extra precautions you can also:
• install a Carbon monoxide detector in your property,
• obtain a Gas detector,
• always get appliances installed by a Gas Safe engineer.
In the past three years, the Gas Safe Register has stated that one in six homes inspected has a faulty gas appliance.
A gas leak can lead to fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning if it isn’t dealt with.
REMEMBER:
To stay safe, please remember that gas is:
• odourless
• colourless and
• can be FATAL
Well, I hope you’ve found this guide useful.
We are always here, if you need us for any advice or any of the services we offer.
Thank you for reading this blog and hopefully (fingers crossed) you now have a few tips on how to stay safe and what to do/not to do in a gas leak situation.
