Failure to maintain your gas appliances correctly can lead to a Carbon Monoxide leak.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a chemical compound of carbon and oxygen. It has no colour, taste or smell and is extremely poisonous. CO is formed whenever carbon, such as gas, coal, wood or oil, are burned with an insufficient air supply. This is called incomplete combustion. When CO is inhaled it prevents absorption of oxygen into the body and can result in oxygen starvation. This can have disastrous results, including death, depending on the concentration of CO in the body.
Gas stoves, fires and boilers, gas powered water heaters, paraffin heaters, solid fuel powered stoves, boilers and room heaters are all capable of producing CO if not appropriately installed and maintained.
Carbon Monoxide can seep into properties via shared flues and chimneys and people may be poisoned by Carbon Monoxide produced by an appliance from next-door. There have also been cases where gas fires have been vented into cavity walls and led to the poisoning of people living above those using the fire.
Possible causes of incomplete combustion include:
- Problems with the appliance, such as poor maintenance or servicing
- Incorrect installation/commissioning of the appliance
- Lack of ventilation around the appliance
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