Modern homes rely on gas on fires, cookers and boilers to cook, heat bath water and to even heat the spaces for more comfortable areas at home. Gas supply companies have therefore managed to make the lives of many people more comfortable and convenient. But as a gas consumer, you should ensure that you learn how to safely use and live with gas around your home because it can be very dangerous. You do not need to be a gas expert to manage safety at home because there are very simple tips you can use to maintain safety as you enjoy your gas supply.
Tip 1 – Do annual checks on all your gas appliances whether they are gas fires, cooker, boilers or heaters. The annual checks will give you peace of mind that every appliance is in good working order and they can also have issues identified and taken care of before they pose any danger to your home and household in general. You can have a registered gas worker, engineer or fitter conduct the safety checks.
Tip 2 – Ensure that every gas installation around your home is handled by a professional and registered fitter. You can use the same expert to make gas fixes and checks around your home. Ask for all relevant documents such as gas safe ID cards to show that you are indeed working with a qualified and competent fitter. Some areas have call lines you can use to verify the qualifications and registration of the fitter before trusting them with your gas installation project at home.
Tip 3 – Know the symptoms of poisoning and want measures to take when they occur. The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include nausea, dizziness, headaches and breathlessness. Some lose consciousness and collapse. Have emergency numbers handy and find out how to give first aid to affected individuals and how to stop such issues before the necessary help arrives. The first minutes in any emergency are crucial so ensure you know exactly what to do before the gas experts arrive to help you out. You should actually have a detector or alarm installed near the appliances as recommended by your manufacturer. Such leaks can be fatal, hence need to be avoided at all costs.
Tip 4 – Check your appliances for any warning signs that they might not be working correctly. Yellow lazy flames in place of crisp blue ones are a common warning sign and so are stains around your gas appliances and condensation that is too much. You should never use an appliance you suspect to have a problem because it can be very unsafe. Some show no signs which is why it is important to have regular safe checks just to be sure.
Tip 5 – Use your appliances solely for their intended purposes. For instance, never use a gas oven as a heater for your room or bring the barbeque for use indoors. It is also important to ensure that your home is well ventilated especially around areas where the appliances are.
