The holiday season is a time for warmth, family gatherings, and festive meals. With so much fun on our minds (and perhaps a little family-based stress!), it’s not surprising that few of us are thinking about gas safety.
We’re here to shed a little light on the potential risks and offer some easy solutions.
Gas appliances play a central role in many homes, from cooking Christmas dinners to warming our homes ready for visitors, but they can pose risks if not used or maintained properly. Statistically, December is the most dangerous month for gas-appliance related fires and up to 12 million people could be living with dangerous gas appliances.
Common gas safety risks over Christmas
- Cooking with gas: When cooking festive feasts, it’s common for hobs to see heavy use. However, using oversized pans on small flames or neglecting to clean the hob (or oven) can cause incomplete combustion, leading to increased carbon monoxide production. This odourless, poisonous gas poses a significant health risk if allowed to build up indoors. SOLUTION: Make sure your surface is clean and your pan isn’t too big for the ring to avoid strangling the flame by starving it of oxygen. A gas safety check will include checks on your gas hob and the flames it produces.
- Gas fires: During the colder months, people often block vents or seal windows and doors to prevent draughts and retain heat in a single room. However, as Gas Safe Register states: “All gas-burning appliances need an appropriate supply of fresh air to burn properly… If the air supply to the gas fire is restricted, the level of carbon monoxide produced rises sharply…” SOLUTION: Check for any blocked vents and make sure the room is ventilated. Book a gas safety check to avoid being the 1 in 2 UK homes containing a gas fire that are found to contain an unsafe appliance.
- Candles: Undeniably festive and comforting, we often turn to candles to ward off the darkness of the winter months. As well as the obvious fire risks, burning candles can give off carbon monoxide too. SOLUTION: Ensure proper ventilation with an open door or window but try to avoid creating a strong draught that disturbs the flame as this may cause poor burning and unintentionally increase CO production! Trim the wick of your candles regularly. Or, switch to electric candles!
For ultimate safety and peace of mind, book a gas safety check with Lime Heating. We know your time is precious – that’s why we book 1hr time slots so there’s no need to wait in all day. We’ll even keep you updated with booking reminders and a text to let you know your engineer is on their way.
By staying mindful of these risks and taking simple precautions, you can enjoy a safe and cosy holiday season.
0300 3730 756
info@limeheating.co.uk
