Gas Safety Week 2014 - We've Made our Pledge

Twenty three million households in the UK, Isle of Man and Guernsey use gas to heat their homes and cook their food*. But while millions use gas to power their homes, how many are aware of the dangers that could put them risk?

Gas Safety Week 2014 will raise awareness of gas safety and we've made a pledge to be part of this years vital campaign. We'll be joining the industries top retailers, manufacturers and consumer bodies to raise awareness of the dangers of gas in the home.

Gas Safe Register estimate that there are around 7,500 illegal gas fitters operating across the UK and up to 250,00 illegal gas jobs may be carried out each year** putting you and your family at great risk from poisonous gasses and potentially fatal incidents. We want to combat the illegal fitters and ensure that no home is at risk.

This years Gas Safety Week will take place 15th - 21st September and we'll be releasing a series of guides on gas safety awareness, as well as teaching our customers how to be gas aware.

If you would like to find out more about Gas Safety Week visit www.gassafetyweek.co.uk.

More like this:
Have you had your annual gas check?
Installing a new gas appliance

* Source - Gas Safety Register

** Source - Gas Safe Register Research 2009

How often Should your Electrical Appliances be Inspected?

All electrical appliances and installations deteriorate over time, so it’s wise to have them inspected to ensure that they are safe to avoid potentially fatal incidents. These checks are known as ‘periodic inspection and testing’.

An inspection will:

• Show if any of your electrical circuits or equipment are overloaded
• Look for potential fire hazards
• Look for potential electric shocks
• Identify faulty electrical work
• Point out lack of earthing or bonding
• Test wiring and fixed electrical equipment

How often you should have a periodic inspection varies depending on the property:

• 10 years for an owner-occupied home.
• 5 years for a rented home.
• 3 years for a caravan

Landlords should carry our an inspection every time new tenants are move in. They should also be carried out if you are selling or buying a property.

Who should carry out the periodic inspection?

Periodic inspection and testing should be carried out by a registered electrician. They will check against the UK standard for the safety of electrical installations, BS 7671 - Requirements for Electrical Installations (IEE Wiring Regulations).

When your inspection is complete, you will be issued with an Electrical Installation Condition Report, which will detail and observe any damage, defects, dangerous conditions, deterioration and any non-compliances with present day safety standard.

If anything is deemed dangerous the installation will be declared ‘unsatisfactory’, which means immediate action needs to be taken to remove any risks.

For more advice on electrical safety visit The Electrical Safety Council

Get in touch if  your are you in need of periodic inspection and testing.

Installing a New Gas Appliance

There will come a time when your gas appliances needs replacing, but knowing what to do and where to go can be confusing. Can you install it yourself? Where can you find an engineer? How do you know they are qualified?

Follow these simple steps to ensure safe installation and peace of mind.

• Do not try to install a gas appliance yourself - always hire a gas safe registered engineer to install it for you. All Maintracts engineers are Gas Safe Registered
• For further peace of mind, ask for a customer reference
• Always ask for a quotation. This should include a description of the work, materials used, the appliance (make and model) and the location of the appliance. Make sure your quotation is in writing
• Before your engineer carries out the work, make sure they are carrying their Gas Safe Register ID Card
• Once work has been completed make sure that any forms that need to be completed or signed off have been returned to you (if you are a landlord you will need to prove to your tenants that the appliance has been installed/serviced). This also goes for any warranty registrations
• Once the appliance has been installed (excluding flueless cookers) your engineer must notify your Local Authority
• Remember that all gas appliances must be serviced once a year

If you would like to obtain a quote from a Gas Safe Registered engineer then please get in touch.

Image by Julian Spencer

Which? Energy Satisfaction Survey 2014 - the results

Just received your winter fuel bill and decided it’s time to switch? Well you’re in luck, the Which? 2014 energy satisfaction survey is out and you might be surprised by the results.

The survey rated 20 UK gas and electricity suppliers and gathered opinions from over 8,500 energy customers. Good Energy and Ecotricity came in joint first, followed by Utility Warehouse, Ebico and Ovo Energy, while British Gas and Npower found themselves placed in the bottom two. The results show that small providers are leaps and bounds ahead of Britain’s six biggest energy suppliers.

If you've found that your winter bill has been higher than usual and you've followed all the energy saving tips you possibly can, then maybe it’s time you switched.  Check out the Which? energy comparison service to find out more.

Like this post?

How to save energy

How to read an electric meter

Image by Adam Ciesielski