According to a survey by Ariston, a boiler manufacturer, 1 in 10 people don’t know that they need to find a Gas Safe registered heating engineer when their gas boiler needs repairing or replacing.
The independent survey gave participants a list of possible individuals or organisations to contact and asked which they would choose: a Gas Safe heating engineer, a plumber, the gas board, CORGI or a local handyman.
Over 11% did not select Gas Safe heating engineer, i.e. an engineer officially recognised by the Gas Safe register as legally allowed to carry out work on gas appliances. The Gas Safe register replaced CORGI in April 2009, but 27% of respondents said they would ask for the engineer’s CORGI registration.
The respondents were then asked, “What credentials do you ask for and/or check when contacting the above person?” Unfortunately, 25% of those who knew they needed to contact a Gas Safe engineer, would then still ask for their CORGI registration.
Victoria Gutierrez, marketing manager at Ariston, said:
“It is encouraging to see the majority of respondents are aware of the importance of using a Gas Safe registered heating engineer. However, there is still some confusion among consumers regarding installers’ safety credentials.
“Although all accredited gas engineers are on the Gas Safe Register, the fact that over a quarter of respondents to our survey still believe CORGI accreditation is required indicates more needs to be done regarding consumer awareness.”
Ariston conducted the survey during Gas Safety Week which is an awareness campaign run by the Gas Safe Register. The aim is to educate the public about the potential dangers of gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning and what they can do to keep their family safe.
Why is Gas Safety Important?
The survey’s findings are definitely concerning. If gas appliances are poorly fitted and / or not regularly serviced it can lead to gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning, all of which can have devastating consequences.
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, tasteless and odourless gas which can lead to serious ill health and even death. Each year thousands of people are diagnosed with carbon monoxide poisoning. Between September 1995 and October 2017 there were 699 deaths resulting from carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK and Northern Ireland.
Gas Safety Checklist
- Get your gas appliances serviced every year by a registered Gas Safe engineer. If you’re a tenant your landlord organise this.
- When an engineer comes to your home to carry out any work you should ask to see their Gas Safe ID. This will confirm that they are qualified to work with gas and what type of work they care allowed to carry out.
- You can also check whether an engineer is Gas Safe registered or not by visiting GasSafeRegister.co.uk or calling 0800 408 5500.
Need a Gas Safe Engineer?
If you haven’t had a boiler service and gas safety check in the last 12 months or you need to fix or replace your gas boiler, you can visit Boiler Guide to find Gas Safe heating engineers in your area. By sending one quick enquiry you’ll receive up to 3 free, no-obligation quotes to service, fix or replace your boiler so you can compare and choose the best.
