Radiators in Gas Safety Checks: What Homeowners Should Know

Homes use gas for various purposes, such as heating, hot water supply, and cooking. Over the years, gas has become an integral part of every home due to its being economical, safe, and environment friendly. As compared to conventional fuels like coal and oil, gas is considered much safer not only for its users but also for the environment. 

However, being a highly inflammable entity, the usage of gas cannot be rated as a zero-risk source of energy. There is always a risk of fire or explosion, associated with gas, especially when it starts leaking. It is said that gas is risk-free when it remains confined in the pipes. The risk starts when it comes out of the pipes. In that case, it may explode or cause a fire.

Another serious threat linked with gas is the emission of carbon monoxide, which is risky for human health. Hence, gas safety has been a point of concern for the authorities all over the world, including the UK. For this purpose, a comprehensive law was introduced in the UK in 1998. This law covers all the gas appliances, including the flues and boilers. Radiators may also be included in it, being part of the heating system. 

Gas Safety Regulations 1998 and Radiators

Realizing the potential risks linked with the usage of gas and ensuring the safety of the end users, the UK Government introduced gas safety regulations under the title "Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. 

The basic requirement of the gas safety law is the annual gas safety inspection. The law binds the landlords to get their properties checked for gas safety on an annual basis. It involves the inspection of all gas appliances installed on the property. That also includes boilers and flues. Although radiators do not come under the definition of gas appliances, they are otherwise linked with the overall heating system that uses gas. So, in a broader sense, radiators also come under the ambit of annual gas safety inspection, as required by the Gas Safety Regulation 1998, as amended from time to time, to make it more effective. 

On successful inspection of all gas appliances, the gas-safe registered engineer issues a gas safety certificate, commonly known as CP 12. This certificate provides the current status of all gas appliances, checked by the gas-safe registered engineer. The boiler is also included in the list of appliances checked by the engineer but radiators are not mentioned in it separately, as these are essential parts of the heating system. 

So, the first thing, one should be clear of, is that radiators must be a compulsory part of the annual gas safety inspection. The engineer, registered with the gas safe register, must also check the radiators during their annual gas safety inspection. 

Gas Safe Register 

Gas safe register is an official organization in the UK, responsible for registering qualified gas safety engineers. Gas Safe Register maintains a complete record of these engineers and issues them a license to work on gas appliances and installations. The license is valid for one year and needs to be renewed annually. Under the law, only the engineers registered with the gas safe register are authorized to conduct gas safety inspections at homes and commercial properties. On successful inspection and satisfying himself that the gas appliances are functioning in conformity with the safety standards, he will issue a Gas Safety Certificate, also called Gas Safety Records or, more commonly, CP 12. 

IMPORTANT

The Gas Safety Regulations 1998 binds the landlords to get their properties checked for gas safety on an annual basis, so they can get the gas safety certificate. However, if a homeowner has not rented out his property, he is not legally required to get it inspected for an annual gas safety check. He is also not legally bound to obtain a gas safety certificate. However, it is highly recommended that the homeowners conduct the annual gas safety inspection to ensure their property’s and its occupants’ safety. 

Radiators in Gas Safety Checks: What Homeowners Should Know

The radiators are a compulsory part of the overall heating system of a property. It is a common perception that radiators are not included in the annual gas safety inspection, as they do not use gas for their work. But being an essential part of the heating system, it comes under the ambit of annual gas safety inspection. To understand this concept, we need to know the working of radiators and their association with boilers. 

Radiators and the Heating System

A simple heating system of any building would essentially consist of the following components:

• Boiler, which is most commonly gas-fired.
• The gas pipe works up to the boiler.
• Water supply pipe network.
• Hot water supply through a series of pipework running throughout the building, from the boiler to various destinations in the premises.
• Radiators are installed in the rooms and areas, which are required to be heated. 
• Cold water transportation from radiators back to the boiler.

These are the basic components of any heating system. The scale of these components will vary based on the size of the building. 

Process of Heating

The heating system initiates at the boiler. Water is heated in the boiler, most commonly with gas. The process of heating the building goes in the following sequence:

• The boiler heats and pumps the water into the hot water supply pipe network.
• This pipe network runs throughout the building, reaching all rooms and living areas that need to be heated.
• The hot water supply pipes terminate at the radiators.
• The radiators suck in the cold air from the room. When this cold air comes in contact with the hot water present in the fins of the radiators, it gets heated. 
• The heated air is then blown back into the room, which makes the room atmosphere warm. 
• The hot water gets cold when it comes in contact with cold air. This cold water is then sent back to the boiler, through the return pipework. Here it gets heated again and pumped back into the hot water supply pipe network.
• This process is repeated uninterrupted and ensures a constant temperature in the living rooms and other areas of the building. 

So, the radiators play a vital role in heating the rooms, in collaboration with the boilers. 

Homeowners Guide to Annual Gas Safety Inspection of Radiators

As said earlier, radiators must be included in the annual gas safety inspection, being an integral part of the property's heating system. 

A homeowner is not legally bound to get his property inspected for gas safety but it is in his own interest to do so. This will ensure the safety of his property as well the its occupants. The homeowners should remember the following important things while getting the radiators inspected during the annual gas safety inspection:

• Ensure that the engineer must inspect the radiators properly.
• He should check for any leaks within the radiator as well as in the associated pipework. This includes the hot water supply pipework from the boiler to the radiator and the return water pipework from the radiator to the boiler. He should look for any corrosion and damage in the entire pipework. The rusty pipes should be replaced. 
• He will also check for any blockage or air lock in the radiator. If found, it should be fixed instantly. If required, the engineer will also perform bleeding of the radiators.
• The engineer will check the pressure of the radiators to ensure that they are working as expected. 
• He will check the inlet and outlet water connections of the radiator to ensure that these are tight enough and do not affect the radiator pressure due to any leakage. 

So, as a homeowner, you need to make sure that radiators must be made a part of the annual gas safety inspection, without fail.

Conclusion

Radiators play a vital role in heating your home. The radiator is connected with the boiler to make a complete heating system. So, while getting your property inspected for an annual gas safety check, you cannot ignore the radiators. Though not directly connected to gas for their work, the radiators are a part of the heating system, which uses gas for their work. Hence, it is very important that the radiators must be included in the annual gas safety inspection. 

Being a homeowner, you might not have rented out your property. Per the provisions of the Gas Safety Regulations 1998, homeowners are not legally bound to get their property inspected for gas safety on an annual basis. But it is better to do it regularly on an annual basis. It is essential for your safety, so you should not skip it. It may cost you a little but can save you from many unfavorable situations. And don't forget to include radiators in the annual gas safety inspection.