As it’s Gas Safety Week we thought we’d take this opportunity to highlight again the importance of taking care of your gas appliances and ensuring you provide access to your home every 12 months for essential annual gas safety checks to be conducted.

This year we’re also asking tenants to reach out to vulnerable relatives and neighbours, to help them stay gas safe in their home by advising us of any concerns and getting in touch if you hear an alarm from inside their property. If, however, you think you smell gas from a nearby property please call Scottish Gas Networks immediately on Freephone 0800 111 999.

Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning. As such, it is vitally important for your safety that we carry out an annual gas safety check.

You can find out more about our annual gas safety checks and the notification process involved here, but following the tips below will help to keep you and your family safe throughout the year.

• Never use cooking appliances to heat your home
• Check up on relatives to make sure they are warm and prepared for winter
• If your boiler breaks NEVER try and fix it, ALWAYS call us to arrange for a Gas Safe registered engineer to attend – you could be breaking the law if you try to fix it yourself
• Make sure your carbon monoxide alarm is working – why not give it a test today?
• If you have one, check your chimney isn’t blocked with sticks and fallen leaves

Gas leaks

Gas leaks can be potentially very dangerous and you should never attempt to deal with one on your own. If you do smell gas or suspect there is a gas escape you should follow the guidance below:

• Do not switch on lights or other switches
• Put out any cigarettes
• Do not use a flame or match to find the gas leak
• Check to see if a gas ring has been left on or a pilot light has blown out
• Turn off the gas at the meter and call Scottish Gas Networks immediately on Freephone 0800 111 999
• Open all doors and windows to let the gas out