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Keep your family safe at Christmas

Gas Safe Register offers advice on how to keep your family gas safe

Christmas is just around the corner and millions of homes will be using gas to heat their homes, provide hot water and cook the Christmas meal. If your gas appliances aren't working properly it won't only be inconvenient, you may be putting you and your family at risk, warns Gas Safe Register.

And with new research revealing that cowboy gas fitters carry out a quarter of a million gas jobs each year without the skills or the qualifications to work on gas, Gas Safe Register is offering advice on how to stay gas safe this Christmas.

"At Christmas and all year round, it's important to be aware of the potential dangers of badly installed and faulty gas appliances," warns Peter Eldridge, Chief Executive of Gas Safe Register.

"With all the other things to think about and organise during the festive season, it's perhaps not surprising that gas safety can get overlooked. However, if your gas appliances aren't working properly this can put your home and your family at risk from gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning. Gas incidents like these killed 18 people in the UK this year and hospitalised a further 310 (Source: HSE Gas Safety Statistics).

Gas Safe Register offers the following safety advice:

Always use a Gas Safe Registered engineer for any gas work in your home. All legal engineers are listed on www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.
Always check the front and back of your engineer's Gas Safe Register ID card, make sure they are qualified to do the specific type of gas work you require.
Have your gas appliances safety checked and serviced at least once a year to ensure your appliances are working safely and efficiently.
If you suspect an illegal gas fitter, report it to Gas Safe Register.
Install an audible carbon monoxide alarm (British Standard EN 50291), which will alert you if dangerous levels are present in your home.

If you smell gas or think there might be a gas leak: turn off the gas at the meter, extinguish naked flames, open windows and leave the area. Seek medical advice if you feel unwell. If in the UK, call the Gas Emergency freephone number 0800 111 999.

N.B. The information contained in this story is provided by the supplier and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of lets-do-diy.com.

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