Why Do-It-Yourself isn’t worth it where gas is involved

We’re a nation of grafters. We love to roll up our sleeves and get stuck in. Whether we’re giving the garden a makeover or the kitchen a new lease of life, we all enjoy the satisfaction of seeing our handy work pay off.

Whilst the ‘do-it-yourself’ attitude is to be applauded, when it comes to gas appliances within your home or workspace, you’re better off leaving it to the professionals. Working with gas can be highly dangerous. One wrong move can result in:

• a fire
• an explosion
• gas leaks
• potential carbon monoxide poisoning

In fact, the risks are so great that it’s illegal for anyone to work with gas appliances, such as a boiler, if they’re not on the Gas Safe Register. Fortunately, all our engineers are fully insured and registered for full peace of mind. You can check us out here.

When to call in the professionals

Understanding the difference between what you can turn your hand to, and what needs more expert guidance, is key when it comes to working with gas. For example, following instructions in the user manual of an appliance is fine. However, where any work starts to interfere with the gas supply line, or if you feel tempted to try blocking up any flues or vents, it’s time to call in the professionals. You can contact us now for advice or to book a service here.

So, what does a Gas Safe-registered engineer do to keep your home safe?

Whether we’re talking a basic boiler service or something more involved, like moving the location of your boiler, all Gas Safe-registered engineers will follow an approved set of processes to ensure that work is carried out carefully, efficiently and without endangering the safety of you or your loved ones.

During a basic appliance safety check, your engineer will look at:

• The safety devices on all your gas appliances and check they’re in good working order
• Your air vents, making sure they’re not obstructed and that potential harmful emissions are able to escape from your property
• The operating pressure levels of your appliances and ensure they’re burning correctly

During a full service, a Gas Safe-registered engineer will complete all the tasks laid out above alongside some more in-depth investigations into the running of your home’s gas appliances. For full peace of mind, it’s advisable to get your appliances serviced annually, ideally before the cooler months set in, as this is when things tend to go wrong. You can read more about keeping safe during winter here.

A full service on your home will cover the checklist above but also include:

• Cleaning and servicing all components to your home’s gas appliances, which includes following the recommended manufacturer checks
• Checking the condition of the appliances (and their related air vents and flues) for any wear and tear
• Performing what is known as a combustion test on any relevant appliances, to make sure that they’re operating correctly and that all harmful fumes are being extracted safely from the building fabric

All our engineers will also transparently discuss any remedial work necessary with you before carrying it out, and will never recommend work that they do not deem to be essential.

Getting a Gas Safe-registered engineer in to conduct a full service is a sensible move. They’ll cover every base so you can concentrate on the New Year ahead. That’s one resolution ticked off your list at least, with zero hassle.

Need help with your boiler or heating system? Contact us today