Worcester Bosch believe that some gas distributors aren’t carrying out adequate gas supply checks which could mean that homes aren’t getting the correct pressure and volume.
How Much Gas Should My Home be Receiving?
Around 6 cubic metres of gas should be supplied to the average household every hour but Worcester Bosch believe that some homes aren’t receiving that much. It’s thought that some properties are only getting 4-5 cubic metres of gas.
To put that into context, if your home has a 40kW Combi boiler then it will require 3.7 cubic metres of gas to power it on full output. If you also have a gas fire and cooker being used at the same time then the lower gas supply will be felt throughout the home.
Why Might Some Homes be Receiving Less Gas?
To upgrade the gas network, polythene pipes are often routed through existing steel pipework which can lead to flow diameters being reduced. As a result, this can mean that some properties aren’t receiving the gas supply that they should be.
How Could a Limited Gas Supply Affect my Home?
If there seems to be an issue with the boiler then homeowners might pay to call-out an engineer who will discover that the issue is with the gas pressure entering the home rather than the appliance itself.
How Could Distributors be Doing More?
Director of Technical Communication and Product Management at Worcester Bosch, Martyn Bridges said: “Distributors could be doing more to check the affected household’s gas supply. They could begin by putting the boiler into full service mode, as doing this ensures that it is firing at full rate. Only then will the gas pressure indicate that the volume of gas entering the property is insufficient. “The last resort is a little more rudimentary but would work well for those engineers without the knowledge needed to put a particular combi-boiler into full service mode. “Those distributors who do not know how to turn the boiler on to full service mode, should take the simple step of turning the hot water thermostat up to its highest setting and then open up two to three hot water taps. If there is a gas cooker or fire, turn those on as well, the incoming gas pressure at the meter test point can then be checked.
“Whether they opt for the rudimentary step or the more thorough and reliable full-service mode route, distributors need to be checking household supplies before they leave the job.”
