What is a gas safety certificate and why do I need one?

Do you know what a Gas safety certificate is and do you need one?

The Gas safety certificate came about with the increased demand for gas appliances in the home and the frequency of poor installations. The manufacturers of gas boilers and the regulatory board got together to create Corgi. Once this was formed, a few years later it was decided that all boilers should only be fitted by Corgi registered installers when charging for an installation. The official body in charge of Gas safety was later moved over to the Gas Safe register. This legislation was due to frequent gas leak explosions across the UK. There is also the extremely dangerous nature of flue emissions and carbon monoxide poisoning. Furthermore boilers and the way that they vented also changed and became more complex. Gone where natural draft boilers and the siting restrictions that they caused. These points have also coincided with the increased reduction in DIY and homeowners actually wanting to take on the task of installing their own boiler and messing with the gas supply. Manufacturers have resourced plumbers heavily to make sure that they are capable of installing their product, carrying out boiler repairs and acting as an advocate. This is due to the increased warranties on the appliances and boilers often go wrong on installation and once incorrectly installed can have issues throughout their whole life. Using gas safe engineers to carry out the installation can help avoid boiler breakdown just as long as the annual safety checks and boiler service is carried out on a regular basis too. The gas safety certificate is a sign off from the gas safe registered engineer that has done the job that the appliance is safe and meets modern certification. This can apply to new and existing appliances and will be issued after a thorough examination and safety checks of the appliance by the registered gas installer.   [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="150"] Gas safety certificate[/caption] A gas safety certificate can be issued after a service or after just an inspection. Just like an MOT on your car it is an ideal opportunity to get an all clear for you boiler and make sure it is not dangerous. It also may highlight an issue that will save you money in the long run and mean that you will not be left without heating or hot water. If you're a landlord of a property then you will need to have an annual gas safety check carried out every year by a qualified gas engineer. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 details these requirements. Landlords require a gas safety inspection yearly to receive the Gas Safety Certificate or (CP12) as a legal requirement and as a part of the legal duties required to rent a property. This also applies to letting agents and and any issues found will need to be fixed. Landlords should also remember to have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms (if the room contains solid fuel burning appliance). If you are having a new appliance or boiler fitted then you should check the installers registration number with the relevant gas safety body to ensure they are in compliance. In addition to this a qualified company will likely also be able to arrange the building regulations compliance certificate for your installation too. Building regulations for boilers are important due to ensure that the installation is in a safe condition but also to comply with emission laws.