Gas in the Home

As well as water and pipes, most plumbers are also responsible for gas in the home as well. While gas doesn't flow out of every tap in our home, it is still very important in most homes.

Almost any house in a built-up area will be connected to a gas main, and where this is the case, the gas is used for heating, and often cooking as well. Even in homes outside of gas-main supplied areas, bottled or tanked gas is often used rather than oil, which doesn't burn as cleanly.

In central heating, gas is commonly used to boil water before it is pumped around the home into radiators, to heat the home. Additionally, most central heating units also use gas to heat water so that hot water is provided on demand - the hot water is then either tanked for storage, or pumped directly to a tap on demand.

Gas is also used in cooking, where it is burnt on hobs as an open flame, used to heat pans; and also on grills and in ovens, to heat food to high temperatures. Additionally, in summer, bottled gas is popular for use on Barbeques, as gas is much cleaner and easier to use compared to solid fuels.

Many people also use gas fires in the home, which burn as an open flame, usually over fake coal, to give the impression of a real fire, but without the hassle of removing ashes or having to stoke the fire.

Like water, gas is brought into most houses through mains supplies. It passes through a meter. The meter is usually in a recess under stairs, or in a discreet cupboard. However, in many modern houses the meter is in a small, locked cupboard on an exterior wall of the house, which allows for easy reading and maintenance.

The network of gas pipes in the home is not as extensive as water, as the pipes are only required to connect to the kitchen and central heating system, and perhaps a gas fire in addition.

Gas appliances, such as cookers, hobs and fires, should be serviced annually, by a CORGI registered engineer, to ensure there are no leaks, and that they will not become faulty. Should a gas burning appliance become faulty, it may not burn the natural gas (composed mainly of methane) cleanly, allowing it to give off highly toxic carbon monoxide, which is odourless and colourless, and thus a major danger. If carbon monoxide is released, you will have no indication, and it can quickly make you very ill, or can soon kill you or a family member.

If you ever smell gas in your household, immediately shut off any naked flames, and put out any cigarettes. Search for any sources of gas which may have been left on, such as gas hobs or fires. If you cannot find any obvious source, or if the source of the gas is apparently turned off, phone a CORGI registered emergency plumber immediately. You should also open as many windows as possible, for ventilation, and under no circumstances should any electrical switches be operated, either on or off.

Other indications of faulty appliances can be visible, for example:

• Dark marks on the casing of the appliance.
• Discolouration on the wall, surround or hearth.
• The normally-blue flame on your appliance taking on a yellow hue.
• Indications of soot around the appliance.
• Corrosion of pipes and joints in the appliance.

It is possible to purchase a carbon monoxide detector, which will detect amounts of carbon monoxide in the air, and give both audio and visual alerts, giving householders the chance to leave before the concentration of toxic gas builds up too much