Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue’s Carbon Monoxide safety tips

Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week is well underway, and a huge range of organisations have got involved with the initiative in order to reduce the number of injuries and deaths CO leads to. CO, the ‘silent killer’, is very difficult to detect, as it has no odour, taste or colour, but when people breathe it in, they can develop a range of chronic health conditions, including respiratory illnesses and stroke, and can even lose their lives.

Head of Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Community Safety Team Neil Boustred has provided a huge amount of advice and information about how you can stay safe at home and ensure that carbon monoxide does not affect you. Firefighters are also visiting homes across the county and are making it clear to residents that smoke alarms do not detect carbon monoxide.

Carbon Monoxide Safety

Mr Boustred offered the following tips:

• Ensure central heating systems, boilers and other appliances that burn gas, wood, oil or coal are installed and maintained by registered engineers and are regularly serviced by these engineers.
• Do not install or reconnect these appliances by yourself.
• Only use installers who are on the Gas Safe Register when installing gas appliances – this is what the law requires.
• Have gas appliances serviced by a Gas Safe Registered engineer every year, and ensure this includes a gas safety check.
• Get flues and chimneys swept regularly by competent sweepers.
• Buy appliances from reputable dealers and ensure these appliances meet European or British safety regulations.
• Demand a guarantee and a copy of the user manual from appliance dealers.
• Don’t use barbecues indoors, as the charcoal produces carbon monoxide.
• Do not block or obstruct vents.
• Keep heaters well away from bedding, furniture and curtains.

When moving house

• When moving to a rental property, ask for a copy of the Gas Landlords Certificate, and check that the safety checks were performed by a registered engineer.
• Don’t attempt to fix broken appliances yourself.
• Don’t use gas appliances you think may not be safe.

Carbon Monoxide detectors

• CO detectors should comply with British Standard BS 7860.
• These detectors should not be installed near fuel-burning appliances or smoke alarms.
• Install a CO detector at knee height near to your sleeping area.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions in regards to maintenance and proper use.
• Remember, smoke alarms are still essential even if you have CO detectors.
• Use CO alarms as an early warning indicator and do not consider them as a substitute for regular appliance services and safety checks.

Stay safe with 247 Home Rescue!

With our boiler cover plan, you can receive annual gas safety checks, carbon monoxide tests and boiler services! Although this is no substitute for CO detectors, it takes a lot of the hassle out of staying CO safe.

And if your boiler breaks down, then just give us a call and we will send a professional round to fic it immediately. All our boiler engineers are Gas Safe, so you can rest assured you’re receiving skilled and competent work when you’re with 247 Home Rescue!