The council’s housing team is asking residents to check their homes to make sure they are safe from the hidden dangers of gas.
Every year in the UK, about 20 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues which have not been properly installed or maintained. Many others also suffer ill health. When gas does not burn properly, as with other fuels such as coal, wood or oil, excess carbon monoxide is produced, which is poisonous.
Anees Mank, the council’s private sector housing manager, warns of the dangers of this gas:
“You can’t see it. You can’t taste it. You can’t even smell it. But carbon monoxide can kill without warning in just a matter of hours.
“You are particularly at risk when you are asleep, because you cannot recognise the early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. These include tiredness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, pains in the chest and stomach pains. These symptoms can mimic many common ailments and may easily be confused with flu or simple tiredness.”
Anees says that if you or your family experience the above symptoms, and you believe carbon monoxide may be involved, you must seek urgent medical advice.
“Your doctor will need to test a blood or breath sample,” he adds, “Carbon monoxide quickly leaves the blood and tests may be inaccurate if taken more than four hours after exposure has ended.”
The advice is to ensure that your gas appliances are safe for use. You are at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if:
- your appliance was poorly installed;
- your appliance is not working properly;
- your appliance has not been checked for safety or maintained regularly
- there is not enough fresh air in the room;
- your chimney or flue gets blocked up; or
- you allow non-CORGI-registered engineers to install or maintain your appliances.
There is a particular risk if you sleep in a room where an appliance that is not of the room-sealed type, such as a conventional gas fire, is left burning at night.
Gas suppliers are required to maintain a priority services register and to offer special help to customers who are of pensionable age, disabled (including customers who are blind, partially sighted, deaf or hard of hearing) or chronically sick. This includes free safety inspections.
If you suspect you are at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning, or if you think you can smell gas, follow these simple steps:
- Do not smoke or light matches
- Do not turn electrical switches on or off
- Open doors and windows
- Turn off the meter at the control valve unless the meter is in the cellar
- Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999
