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BOILERS NEWS AND UPDATES  June 28, 2018

Boilers News & Updates by Eric Collier Eric Collier and Son have been installing, maintaining and servicing all types of the electric, oil and gas boilers in the homes and businesses around Cardi and South Wales for many years. It is very important that all of our engineers are Gas Safe Registered. They have experience and expertise in undertaking all heating and boiler services in your home or business property. In this article, Eric Collier will look at the latest news surrounding boilers and the industry.

Gas Boilers & Cookers Could Be No More: Recently there has been a political discussion over whether we will continue to use gas for cookers and boilers in the UK. Jake Burham discusses this further:

Recently Under the Paris climate change deal, agreed by 195 countries last week, UK families could have to phase out cooking and heating with gas Create PDF in your applications with the Pdfcrowd HTML to PDF API

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across the next 15 years, according to experts. The United Nations agreement obliges nations to reduce greenhouse gases from 2020 onwards in an attempt to curb global warming. The historic pledge – which is ambitiously aimed at limiting warming to “well below” 2C by the end of the century – was internationally lauded by politicians, with Barak Obama branding it a “turning point” for the world. Experts have warned the UK’s commitment to the tougher targets will eradicate gas hobs and ovens and even gas- red boilers – which are used by around 23million British homes. Professor of energy policy at Sussex University Jim Watson said: “This will a ect the power sector rst, but as we move through to the 2030s and beyond we’ll have to nd new ways of heating our homes and cooking our food. “Whatever we move to next, people will be moving to similar levels of comfort and controllability, which engineers need to get on with.” The Government’s Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is currently hunting for boiler alternatives to install in four million homes by 2030 – with each installation costing a staggering £12,000. One of the alternatives considered by the Tories are heat pumps – devices which extract warmth from the ground or air – which could replace gas heating in homes by 2050.

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Landlords Upgrading Boilers to Suit New Guidelines: Landlords have a reputation for not taking much interest in the health and safety of a property once they have let or rented it out. But now it has come to light that landlords are getting in line with the guidelines and are upgrading boilers to keep up with energy rules.

Boilers were the most popular investment by landlords to improve the energy e ciency rating of their properties in order to keep in line with new standards.

The ndings, by Paragon, reveal that the majority of landlords are aware of the new minimum energy e ciency standards introduced on 1 April and 93 per cent of homes in the private rented sector are e

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stimated to be at or above

minimum required rating. The new standards require landlords to achieve a minimum rating of “E”on the Energy Performance Certi cate for their rental property. Landlords with residential properties that fail to meet these levels face a potential penalty of up to £5,000 per property. Asked which upgrades they had made to their properties in the run up to the implementation of the new standards, almost four out of ten (39 per cent) landlords said they had replaced the boiler in one or more of their rental properties and one third (33 per cent) said they had invested in new windows. By contrast, landlords were least likely to have undertaken loft or cavity wall insulation, with only 12 per cent and 7 per cent respectively having carried out these measures in the prior year. The lower rates for insulation work may be due to the fact that landlords had prioritised this work in previous years. Paragon director of mortgages John Heron says: “The PRS has made signi cant progress in energy e ciency over the last decade and landlords Create PDF in your applications with the Pdfcrowd HTML to PDF API

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continue to prioritise investment that will reduce energy consumption and keep costs low for their tenants.

“Energy e ciency in the PRS is now on a par with owner-occupied properties and these latest gures on boiler upgrades demonstrate commitment to further improvement.”

The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide: A massive worry when you have a boiler is the risk of Carbon Monoxide poisoning. If there is an issue you may not be able to tell as Carbon Monoxide is odourless, tasteless and colourless. Anna Slater discusses:

Your boiler might not be getting used as much as it did in winter. But according to The Carbon Monoxide and Gas Safety Society, that very lack of action could be masking a deadly and sinister threat. And the charity is urging Brits not to ‘drop their guard’ during summer when it comes to protecting themselves and their families. CO-Gas Safety President & Director Stephanie Trotter explained: “We’ve recorded 174 fatalities occurring due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK between the months of April and September, inclusive. Create PDF in your applications with the Pdfcrowd HTML to PDF API

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“And that is clearly too many. “Consumers need to be aware that although they may switch o their central heating at this time of year, the majority of households still use their boilers on a daily basis to provide hot water. “Indeed, one of the most high-pro le cases of CO poisoning in recent times is that of Zoe Anderson, who was killed in 2012 by CO leaking from a boiler as she heated water to take a shower. “There is also a danger that during the lighter use of the summer months people neglect to carry out maintenance on their appliances, chimneys and ues, as they are not used as often. “Meanwhile because a boiler is used less, it becomes harder to spot the telltale signs of a deadly defect – such as a pilot light blowing out frequently or changing colour from blue to yellow.” Around 40 people die, and around 300 injured, from accidental carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning each year in England and Wales. Able to kill in less than three minutes, CO is odourless and, without a proper alarm, almost impossible to detect before it’s too late. The majority of deaths – almost a third, 27 per cent – stem from faulty central heating boilers. And with summer barbecues, woodburning stoves and camping equipment posing further dangers, there’s even more reason to be on your guard when temperatures rise. Create PDF in your applications with the Pdfcrowd HTML to PDF API

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Stephen Wilkinson, Service and Maintenance Manager with nationwide heating rm STL Heating & Energy, says homeowners need to be on the lookout for the tell-tale signs something’s horribly wrong. He revealed: “If you’re not getting hot water, that’s obviously a good indication something may be wrong. “If the pilot blows out frequently, or changes from blue to yellow, that tells you the boiler could be producing CO. “Black stains near your boiler, or on the ceiling above, could indicate a CO leak from your ue, and heavy condensation in your home could also be a sign your boiler isn’t venting properly, and is therefore lling the rooms with CO. “If you have any concerns, get a Gas Safe engineer into your property to inspect the appliance and make sure your carbon monoxide alarms are functioning by always undertaking regular checks.” Carbon monoxide (CO) is a by-product of burning gas without a su cient air supply. Badly tted and poorly maintained boilers, ovens and other gas appliances can start to produce and leak the gas, killing within minutes. When breathed in, CO inhibits the transportation of oxygen around the human body, causing cells and body tissue to fail and die – slowly su ocating them to death. Mr Wilkinson adds: “Anyone carrying out work on installations and appliances must be registered with a relevant association. Create PDF in your applications with the Pdfcrowd HTML to PDF API

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“And for gas appliances, that’s the Gas Safe Register. “The worrying news is that there’s an estimated 7,500 ‘hard core’ illegal gas tters operating in the UK. And two thirds – 75 per cent – of this illegal gas work carried out in homes is unsafe, resulting in the potential for not just CO poisoning but also res and explosions. “We see this for ourselves virtually every week, as our tters correct illegal work that’s a very real danger to human life. “Ask for their Gas Safe ID, and if they can’t produce it, show them the door and get an expert in you never know who it could be and remember you are playing with a gas bomb potentially.”

With summer here it’s time to get the barbecues out and camping gear out. This time of year comes with many hazards and it’s important to know how to avoid these taking place.

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BARBECUES:

CO-Gas Safety say that over the last 15 years there have been at least 10 cases of fatalities involving BBQs brought inside tents or wooden glamping pods. In 2012 Isabelle Harris, 6, was tragically killed when a barbecue was brought into her tent in the New Forest. Stephanie says: “People so often consider the risk of re when bringing BBQs into a tent, but are seemingly unaware of the CO risk or simply do not realise how little ventilation modern tents allow. “Unfortunately, BBQs and other heaters have also mistakenly been used for warmth in camper vans, cars and even lorries.” CAMPING STOVES:

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In June 2013 Kenneth Chaplin, 63, was found dead in his sleeping bag during a bikers’ rally in north Wales after he’d used a camping stove inside his tent to keep warm. Stephanie says: “Campers can be overcome by the fumes from portable stoves within minutes. Don’t take the risk.” BRINGING BBQs INSIDE HOME: Stephanie says: “What is also often overlooked is the risk of bringing such an item indoors at home. This is a scenario we see repeatedly in the summer by families that have had garden BBQ parties and bring the embers into an enclosed or semi-closed space. In June last year a couple from Bridlington were rushed to hospital su ered CO poisoning after a barbecue and chimnea were brought inside the property.” BOAT SAFETY: Between 1995 and 2017, CO-Gas Safety recorded 32 deaths which took place inside a boat – 5 per cent of all deaths. Stephanie adds: “If a canopy is covering the cockpit it can cause fumes to accumulate that the user may not consider an obvious risk. In addition to this there are several cases of people blocking up vents on canal boats and similar, and using wood burners, cooking equipment or heaters with the living area closed – a deadly combination.”

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If you are looking for a quali ed and professional gas engineer please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today and we can advise you on what support or service you need. We pride ourselves on our work ethic and customer service. If you want to be sure that you receive the very best service and customer satisfaction then look no further than Eric Collier and Son. Call today on 0845 2000100. Alternatively, go online and get a free quote.