Gas safety

We want to ensure that you and your home are kept as safe as possible when using gas appliances. It is crucial that gas safety is taken seriously to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning or explosion. 

What do I do if I smell gas in my home, or my CO alarm is constantly ringing?

Do not use any appliances, lights or electrics and call straight away the National gas emergency service - 0800 111 999. Open all doors and windows and leave your home immediately.

For more information: Action to take if you smell gas - Cornwall Council

If the CO alarm is bleeping as opposed to a constant ringing call Cornwall Housing on 0300 1234 161.

Carbon Monoxide

What is Carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels including gas, oil, wood, and coal. Sources can include cookers, heaters, Gas appliances and fireplaces. 

You cannot see it, taste it, or smell it, but CO can kill quickly without warning.

Here’s how we work with you to keep you safe:

• We carry out an annual gas safety check on your home. This is a legal requirement and will help ensure all gas appliances are safe.
• We will carry out an annual service on any gas boilers/heating owned by us in your home. We will try and do this at the same time as the safety check.
• We will carry out necessary repairs to ensure your gas set up is running correctly and prevent any safety risks.
• If you have a problem out of our normal opening hours, we will make your home safe. and make safe for your safety. This may involve turning off the appliances and providing temporary heaters until we’re able to get parts and carry out full repairs during our normal opening times. 

What can I do?

• Be home to let us in and carry out our annual legal gas safety check of your home.
• Make sure gas appliances are visually clear and accessible for staff coming to carry out their safety checks (no pans on top of the cooker etc)
• Get your own gas appliances (cooker/fire) serviced annually
• Check your CO alarms monthly by pressing the test button
• Make sure there is gas credit on the meter for the annual gas service

Other common questions:

Will you fix my gas cooker?

No, you will need to get a qualified gas safe engineer to do this. If on a Home Safety Check visit or service we can see it’s unsafe to use, we will turn the appliance off for your protection.

I’ve run out of gas on my meter, how do I get it working? 

Unlike an electric meter, which will continue to provide electric through an emergency tariff, a gas meter will cut off once it’s out of money on the meter. Watch this video to see how to reset your gas meter once you have topped up your credit - https://youtu.be/zOyOcYk-xXE?feature=shared

What do I do if I have gas, oil, wood or coal heating but no CO alarm in my home?

Contact us and we will arrange one to be fitted.

How do I use my gas heating system?

You can usually find user guides online, for example:

·       Honeywell room thermostat user guide- https://youtu.be/dTNcmAOtIZA?feature=shared

·       Honeywell programmer user guide- https://youtu.be/8NWxZrHXpzc?feature=shared

·       Drayton roomstat user guide- https://youtu.be/m41V3bA3iTY?feature=shared

·       Drayton programmer user guide- https://youtu.be/H2i0K53Ok_g?feature=shared

·       Baxi E118/E119 fault guide- https://youtu.be/H2i0K53Ok_g?feature=shared