Understanding Your Gas Safety System: Tips for Homeowners

Using gas in a home is normal. Most of the time, we don't realize that it might be dangerous. In general, gas usage is quite safe if the safety protocols are observed. But it does carry some potential risks.

Being highly inflammable, fire can start anytime, especially when safety measures are not in place. An explosion may occur in case of leakage, either from any faulty gas appliance or a rusted or damaged pipework. Both these possible incidents might result in injuries and casualties, in addition to property loss or damage.

Another serious threat associated with gas is the possibility of generating carbon monoxide. This may happen due to incomplete combustion of gas in any gas appliance or burner. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas; hence cannot be detected without a proper device, but it can cause serious health issues for humans that may even lead to death. Hence, homeowners need to be aware of the possible risks of using gas. They should also know how they can avoid any such mishap.

Gas Safety

Gas safety has been a hot topic of discussion over the years. Every year, quite a noticeable number of gas accidents occur worldwide, including in the UK. These accidents result in damage to properties, injuries, and deaths of their occupants.

Various rules and regulations were formulated in the UK to avoid such incidents. Eventually, a wide-ranging law was promulgated in 1998, titled "Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998." This comprehensive law governs and regulates almost all aspects of the use of gas, including the safety of people and properties. This law came into force on the 3rd of October 1998 and has been amended from time to make it more efficient and helpful in ensuring the safety of the people against risks and threats of gas.

The law provides guidelines for all users, including landlords, tenants, and homeowners for safe use of gas in their properties. So, as a homeowner, you must be aware of your responsibilities toward gas safety, the most important of which is an annual gas safety check.

What is an Annual Gas Safety Check?

The relevant laws of gas safety impose various responsibilities on homeowners, an annual gas safety check being one of them. Here's a summary of what is involved in the annual gas safety inspection:

1. Annual Gas Safety Check essentially comprises of:
   • Visual inspection of gas installations and appliances, including boilers and flues.
   • Checking gas burner pressure.
   • Checking that the gas is burnt perfectly. This is important to avoid the emission of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is generated as a result of incomplete combustion.
   • Checking for any leakages.
   • Examine the performance of the ventilation system.
   • Check the working of the safety devices.
   • Check boiler performance, including the pressure vessel.
2. Once the engineer successfully inspects all gas appliances and is satisfied that they are working according to standards, he will provide you with a digital copy of the Gas Safety Certificate. This certificate will be valid for 12 months and will require renewal on an annual basis.
3. For the appliances that are considered not fit for use, the gas safety certificate will reflect three different codes marked against them. These are ID, AR, and NCS:
   • ID stands for "Immediately Dangerous" – These are unfit for use and need immediate replacement.
   • AR means "At Risk." These are also unfit for use but are at lesser risk than ID.
   • NCS denotes "Not to the Current Standards." Appliances rated as NCS can still be used but should be replaced with new ones as soon as possible.
4. The annual gas safety check has to be conducted by a gas-safe registered engineer. You need to ensure that he possesses the ID card issued by the gas safe register. Check his credentials and make sure that his license is valid. The license is issued for one year.

Understanding Your Gas Safety System - Tips for Homeowners

As a homeowner, you need to have complete knowledge of the gas safety system in place at your premises. Gas is generally used in a home mainly for heating the rooms and supplying hot water for use in washrooms and kitchens. Another use of gas is for cooking. So, a house would have a comprehensive gas pipe network running through the entire building. This pipework also includes the hot water supply pipes running throughout the building to and from the boiler.

The entire gas supply system installed in a home is the main part of the gas safety system. The essential components of this entire gas safety system may include various other devices. Here is a summarized list of components of a gas safety system installed in a home:

1. The system starts with the gas meter installed mostly near the building's main entrance, but the main safety gadget comes even before that. Normally, a master valve is installed just before the gas meter. This valve serves as the main control point and regulates the gas supply in the building. The gas supply can instantly be discontinued in an emergency to avoid any mishap. This valve can also temporarily disconnect the gas supply for maintenance work within the premises.
2. Gas is distributed from the meter to different parts of the building through an integrated pipe network. It has to reach the boiler and kitchen or any other part of the building where a gas appliance is installed. As a homeowner, you must be aware of the layout of this pipework. It will be helpful in maintaining the entire system.
3. The most important part of pipework is not directly related to the gas supply but is an integral part of the system. The pipework runs from the boiler to the radiators and back to the boiler. This is a part of the heating system of the building. Hot water from the boiler is supplied to the radiators and then back to the boilers. So, this pipework is also included in the gas system of your home and makes an integral part of the annual gas safety check. Any leakage, damage, or choking of this pipe network will result in the discontinuation of hot water in your building. Hence getting yourself familiarized with this pipework is also important when it comes to gas safety systems.
4. The boiler is one of your home's most important gas appliances and is equally important in the gas safety system. You need at least a basic knowledge of how it works and maintains itself.Nest comes the gas safety devices. Normally, a home should essentially have the following gas safety devices installed at appropriate places in the building:
   •   Gas leak detector. Depending on the size of the home, you may have more than one gas leak detector installed at different locations. A gas leak detector is installed near the ceiling, as the leaked natural gas tends to accumulate there. The leaked gas may also accumulate in closed places, such as under the stairs. You must know all the gas leak detectors, where these are installed, and, most importantly, how they work. Get complete knowledge about the alerts and alarms linked with these devices.
   •   Most homes also have a fire alarm system. If one is installed in your home, you must know its location. You also need to know how to react in case it starts beeping. Understand the procedure to turn it off in case it was activated due to any sensor fault.
   •   Carbon monoxide detector. This gadget is important as it saves you from the most lethal gas risk. Carbon monoxide is sometimes also referred to as a “Silent Killer.” It is generated from a faulty gas appliance, where gas is not being burnt completely. It is an odorless and colorless gas; hence cannot be detected without a proper carbon monoxide detector. Prolonged exposure to this gas may result in dizziness, headache, and other medical conditions in humans. It may also result in death.
5. Being a homeowner, you need to know the exact locations of these gas safety devices. Similarly, you must ensure that these gas safety devices are getting an uninterrupted power supply. These days, most of these devices are battery-operated. In that case, make sure that the batteries are replaced instantly as and when required. All these gas safety devices are generally part of the integrated home safety system linked to your mobile phone. You must know about the alerts received on your mobile, as generated from any of these safety devices.

Conclusion

The Gas Safety Regulations 1998, as amended from time to time, require every homeowner to follow the guidelines provided in the law to keep his residence safe from possible gas mishaps. For this purpose, homeowners are required to conduct annual gas safety checks on their homes, including the gas appliances installed therein.

The homeowners are also required to have complete know-how about the gas safety system on their premises. All the gas appliances, pipework, and gas safety devices are a part of the whole gas safety system. The homeowner needs to know where the important gas appliances and safety devices are in his building. He must also be aware of the workings of this entire safety system, which is often linked with the home safety hub. Understanding the working and safety checks of all the gas appliances will help you make your home safe for you and your family.