Carbon monoxide is a gas that is produced when natural gas or other fuel does not burn fully. It is usually caused by gas appliances that are not properly fitted, maintained or ventilated.
You can’t see it, you can’t smell it, and you can’t taste it, but it can kill in twenty minutes.
Warning signs to watch out for are:
- Yellow or orange flames – gas fires should produce a blue flame when the gas is being burned fully.
- A pilot light that often goes out
- Soot or yellow/brown staining around a gas appliance
If you notice any of these problems with your gas appliance, switch off your gas supply at the meter, and contact us (link) straight away so we can carry out a safety check.
There are also a number of simple things that you can do to reduce the risk:
- Never block the air vents of your appliance
- Never block the outside flue, grille or air brick for a gas appliance
- Never tamper with a gas appliance or attempt to repair it yourself
- Never use a gas appliance if you do not think it is working properly – report it to us straight away
- Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer to install or remove a gas cooker – do not try to do it yourself
You should not sleep in a room with certain older gas appliances. If you have to sleep in the same room as a gas boiler or fire, you must let us know so that we can check the situation is safe. We may be able to help you with alternative heating or housing advice.