Gas leaks are dangerous, potentially lethal and can lead to explosions, this is common knowledge, but, what do you know about the causes of gas leaks and how to prevent them? Here at K&M Maintenance we know just how deadly gas leaks can be, and we would like to share our knowledge with you.
Causes of Gas Leaks
Gas leaks are caused in several ways, from poor fitting to badly maintained appliances.
Across the country, it’s tempting for people to fit their own gas appliances instead of paying for a registered, qualified and professional gas engineer, and in the long run this could be a dangerous decision. Gas appliances that aren’t fitted correctly often leave gaps around edges of pipes and in time, pipes can work free, directing gas from the mains into your home or workplace, instead of into the appliance itself. With gases like carbon monoxide, the first thing you may notice is that come winter your appliance doesn’t work, yet for weeks you may have been inhaling an incredibly toxic gas, that is lethal if left undiscovered. Carbon monoxide is odourless and invisible, truly an undiscoverable killer, unless you fit a carbon monoxide alarm that will indicate when the gas is present.
Badly maintained appliances can also cause gas leaks. Take your boiler for example. If you don’t use your central heating system throughout summer, when you come to switch it on in winter you may notice it doesn’t work. This can be because the moving valves inside the boiler have not been kept working and have seized up, or it can be because your pipes are congested. If this is the case, gas could be leaking into your home, including carbon monoxide.
What should I do?
If you have a gas leak that you can smell the first thing you should do is contact the gas emergency services, turn off your gas at the meter, and put out any naked flames. Do not turn any electrical items on or off and open your doors and windows to keep your home aired.
If you have a carbon monoxide alarm that is detecting carbon monoxide, turn off your gas at the mains and phone a gas engineer to look at what is causing the problem. The sooner carbon monoxide is detected the better it will be for you and your family.
Preventing Gas Leaks
Not all gas leaks are preventable. Gas appliances can break or fault in an instant just like any other appliance. However, it is more common for them to deteriorate and break down over time and having a regular gas safety check that tests all your gas appliances can help these issues get spotted early and possibly prevent a gas leak. Having a yearly service for your boiler is also a good idea to prevent gas leaks.