Brrrrrr it is soooo cold! Let’s put on the heater shall we!?

Yes that’s right, it is starting to get very icy in Melbourne isn’t it? With winter well and truly on the way, more and more of us will be having our heaters on more often than not, but do you really know if your heater is safe? How long since the last service was conducted on all of your gas appliances? Do you have a potential killer in your very own home?

If your gas heater is not functioning properly it has the potential to be deadly. A few years ago A Victorian mother lost two of her young children due to carbon dioxide poisoning, which was due to a faulty heater that was projecting the deadly substance.

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when your gas heater and or appliances are old, faulty or have not had a service for over two years. It is a silent killer, you cannot see it nor smell it, but there are ways to see if your appliances are projecting carbon monoxide.

– If the flame is of an obvious red or yellow colour (exceptions are gas log fire heaters)

– If there is brown soot or stains surrounding the appliance

– If the pilot light is frequently going out

– If you are experiencing frequent headaches for an unknown reason

– If you are nautious

– Breathlessness

– Collapsing and loss of consciousness

An overdue service on your heater not only has the potential to be deadly but also can add extra on your gas bill, so have it checked a MINIMUM of every two years by a QUALIFIED person. You can also purchase a ‘carbon monoxide alarm’ which senses when there is carbon dioxide in the air. You can purchase one of these alarms from Bunnings Warehouse for $30.

If you are a tenant of a property with a gas heater and sense that there may be a fault, contact your property manager immediately and turn the appliance off at the source immediately. If you are a landlord and haven’t serviced gas appliances at your investment for over two years, then you should consider doing so.