With households across Britain continuing to feel the pinch, Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, has issued a stark safety warning as new research
reveals that almost half of the population would attempt to fix their own gas boilers.

Furthermore, the findings also suggest that 30 per cent of people are only getting their boilers serviced every two years, rather than the advised annual
service, with almost ten per cent stating they will no longer service their boiler at all.

In the East of England, over a third of respondents cited cost pressures as the number one reason to attempt DIY servicing, while one in five people said
that they would not use a correctly qualified professional.

As a result of the research, Cadent has shared some new guidance which outlines the importance of properly
maintaining
gas appliances.

Kate Grant, Network Director for the East of England at Cadent, said: “Unfortunately these findings are not surprising as many people delayed the maintenance
of their appliances and put off turning on their heating until the arrival of the cold snap in December last year. However, this behaviour could have very dangerous consequences for residents and so, ahead of temperatures dropping this year, we want to encourage
people to make sure they’ve had their boiler properly serviced by a qualified professional.

“We would discourage anyone from attempting to carry out this sort of work themselves as if something were to go wrong and it was discovered that you had
not used the correct tradesperson, there could be long term and legal consequences attached to these decisions.

“With our
Services Beyond the Meter programme, which helps customers in vulnerable situations with any immediate safety issues, we are sadly seeing more and more people struggling to repair and replace old and damaged appliances due to the ongoing cost of living
crisis. However, when it comes to protecting your family and those living in your home, gas safety must remain a priority.”

Jonathan Samuel, Managing Director of Gas Safe Register, said: “Our advice is always to use a Gas Safe Registered engineer for any gas work on your appliances. Landlords have a legal duty to ensure gas appliances are safety checked annually, and this is the advice we extend to anyone with a gas appliance.”

Cadent, which operates the 24-hour, 365-day National Gas Emergency Service across the UK, has shared some advice in a bid to boost important gas safety awareness
ahead of winter.

If you ever smell gas, call the National Gas Emergency Service, immediately, on 0800 111 999*, day or night.

Important tips for maintaining your gas boiler:

1.
Ensure all gas appliances and boiler servicing is carried out by the professionals – always call a
Gas Safe registered engineer
and get it done properly. Never risk doing this yourself if you are not Gas Safe registered, it’s a very specialist job.

2.
Book an annual boiler service with a Gas Safe registered engineer (and always
ask to see their ID
when they arrive at your home) to ensure it stays in good working order. Importantly, an engineer will also check all gas appliances in
your property, including a visual inspection of your gas pipework and a tightness test to confirm there aren’t any gas leaks. You will need proof of your boiler service if you sell your home and, of course, for landlords this is a responsibility, as they must
provide an annual Landlord Gas Safety Record.

3.
There are some minor boiler issues you can troubleshoot yourself. For example, in winter, frozen boiler condensate pipes are
very common and can be thawed with water – follow our boiler
troubleshooting guide. Other common faults include low gas pressure, the boiler switching itself off and cold water and should be looked
at by a Gas Safe registered engineer. For leaks, or a pilot light replacement, you should
always contact a Gas Safe registered engineer to fix the issue.

4.
Make sure you leave vents unblocked, as these are there to help your gas appliance work safely and efficiently.

5.
Recognise the warning signs of an unsafe appliance so you can take action. For example, a lazy yellow flame instead of crisp
blue flame; error messages; unexpected noises from your boiler; or dark and sooty stains around your gas appliance could mean it is unsafe and releasing carbon monoxide (CO). Know the symptoms of
CO poisoning