Many people fail to sweep their chimney or service appliances often enough. Either through neglect, not understanding the necessity or for financial reasons.
OF ALL CARBON MONOXIDE DEATHS IN THE UK 32% ARE SOLID FUEL RELATED 37% ARE MAINS GAS RELATED.
(Statistics of deaths produced by kind permission of CO-Gas Safety)
CARBON MONOXIDE KILLS
Understanding the dangers Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. In the UK 200 people needlessly die or become seriously ill due to carbon monoxide poisoning annually. There have been surveys that suggest that these numbers are only a fraction of actual incidents as many cases of carbon monoxide poisoning go undiagnosed.
An annual safety check by a competent person could prevent the deaths of you and your loved ones.
What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Many healthcare professionals do not recognise the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, as it is often confused with the flu.
Carbon Monoxide symptoms include:
Severe headaches
Chest or stomach pains
Drowsiness
Nausea
Dizziness
General lethargy
If any of these symptoms are experienced, medical advice should be sought and heating appliances and flue ways should be checked immediately.
Making your home safe
To ensure that your home remains safe, follow these simple steps:
Your chimneys and flues must be swept annually.
Do not use any appliances that are not functioning correctly or that you may be suspicious of, until a competent person has first assessed it for safety.
Place a spark guard in front of your fire.
Install an audible carbon monoxide alarm and test it regularly.
Chimney Fires
18% of all recorded fires in Guernsey last year were caused by dirty chimneys.
Landlord & Tenant Information
For a long time, Landlords / agents have been unable to put a clause in a tenancy agreement stating that the tenant is responsible for maintaining solid fuel heating systems as this is described as a unfair contract term (Office of fair trading 2005). So, you cannot get your tenant to discharge your duty of care for you. (Unless a court order has been issued) Should a chimney fire occur then many thousands of pounds could be lost in damage and loss of earning potential while the house is repaired. Not to mention any claim that a tenant may make.
If the landlord looks after a solid fuel appliance, then they would have discharged their duty of care towards their tenants and would be keeping their own property safe from unnecessary fire risks and unwanted legal claims. Remember as a landlord you have a legal duty of care to your tenant/s and as such blocked flues that subsequently cause death could result in the landlord being tried for criminal negligence or in extreme cases a manslaughter prosecution may arise.