The Big Gas Safety Report

Being gas safe is incredibly important and involves ensuring that all of the gas appliances in your home, such as boilers, cookers and heaters, are properly installed and maintained. By failing to meet gas safety regulations, you are risking events such as gas explosions and leaks, fires, monoxide poisoning and even prosecution.

But which areas of the UK have the highest number of unsafe gas appliances and which areas are regularly having their boilers, cookers and heaters serviced? We’ve analysed data from the Gas Safe Register and Office for National Statistics to find out which parts of the UK are the safest and most dangerous when it comes to gas appliances. We’ve also conducted a short survey to highlight the knowledge of gas safety around the UK.

North East England is the safest area in the UK for gas appliances

Data from the Gas Safe Register cross-referenced with the number of households in each area, shows that North East England is the safest area in the UK for gas appliances. 1 in 15 homes inspected by Gas Safe Register in the North East had unsafe gas appliances. Based on the number of households in the area, it is estimated that approximately 77,772 homes in the North East have unsafe gas appliances. 

Yorkshire and The Humber is the second safest area, with 1 in 9 homes being found to have unsafe gas appliances, after being inspected by Gas Safe Register. Based on the number of households in the area, it is estimated that approximately 261,640 homes in Yorkshire and The Humber have unsafe gas appliances.

South East England is the area in the UK with the highest number of unsafe gas appliances

The data from Gas Safe Register also shows that South East England is the area of the UK with the highest number of unsafe gas appliances, with 1 in every 4 homes inspected by Gas Safe Register in the South East having been found to have unsafe gas appliances. Based on the number of households in the areas, it is estimated that 745,800 homes in South East England have unsafe gas appliances.

London is the second most dangerous area, with 1 in every 4 homes being found to have unsafe gas appliances, after being inspected by Gas Safe Register. Based on the number of households in the area, it is estimated that approximately 713,800 homes in London have unsafe gas appliances.

Seven in every 100 survey participants don’t know how old their boiler is

On average, the lifespan of a boiler is 10-15 years, but this can vary depending on the model. However, if you maintain your boiler and have it serviced regularly then it could last even longer. Some of the things you can do to ensure that your boiler reaches its maximum lifespan include installing a magnetic filter to prevent sludge build-up, having an engineer carry out a system flush to resolve any blockages, and adding an inhibitor to the system, which also helps to prevent sludge build-up.

Almost a third of our participants last had their boiler replaced between 3-5 years ago, meaning that it should be in full working condition. People aged between 25-34 years old are the most likely age group to be regularly replacing their boilers. Two-fifths of our survey participants within this demographic have a boiler that is between 3-5 years old and more than a quarter have a boiler that is between 1-2 years old. 

However, seven of every 100 people who responded to our survey have a boiler that is 16 years old or more, meaning that they will be less efficient and eco-friendly, and may often lose pressure or require repairs. The age group most likely to have a boiler exceeding its recommended lifespan is 45-54 year-olds, with one in 20 having a boiler that is between 16-20 years old and three in every 50 having a boiler that is over 20 years old. A further seven in every 100 participants don’t know how old their boiler is, which may potentially be affecting the quality of their heating and hot water, as well as increasing their carbon footprint and energy bills.

One in 50 survey participants don’t know if their chosen engineer is Gas Safe registered

You must have your boiler serviced regularly to ensure that it is in full working condition and adhering to safety regulations. Having a regular boiler service means that any potential issues can be identified as soon as possible and any necessary repairs can be carried out before they do any major or costly damage. To some, a boiler service may seem like an annoying and unnecessary expense, but it is much cheaper than a boiler replacement. Not only this, but having a boiler that is in full working condition may potentially save you money on your energy bills, which proves more cost-effective in the long run. It is also necessary to keep your boiler's warranty valid so that the manufacturer will either repair or replace your boiler in the event of a breakdown throughout the warranty period.

Thankfully, over four-fifths of our survey participants answered ‘yes’ when asked if they get their boiler serviced at least once a year by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The region of the UK that is the most likely to check whether their chosen engineer is Gas Safe registered is South West England, with almost nine in every ten participants from this region carrying out this vital check. 

However, one in every 50 people said that whilst they do get their boiler serviced regularly, they don’t check if their chosen engineer is Gas Safe registered. The region of the UK that is the least likely to check whether their chosen engineer is Gas Safe registered is Northern Ireland, with seven in every 100 participants from this region not deeming it necessary to carry out this vital check. Any boiler installations or repairs in your home must be carried out by an engineer who is on the Gas Safe Register, so as to avoid any badly completed work, safety hazards or even prosecution.

One in four survey participants don’t know the warning signs of a gas leak

There was one particularly alarming statistic that was uncovered from the results of our survey. One in four participants doesn’t know the warning signs of a gas leak, which could potentially cost them their lives. Some common signs of a gas leak within and around your home include the smell of rotten eggs, a hissing sound and high levels of gas usage. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can be frequent headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue and irregular breathing. If you do notice any of these symptoms within yourself or other household members, it is vital that you seek help from a healthcare professional as soon as possible. A carbon monoxide detector should be fitted in rooms where a fuel burning appliance is fitted to allow early warning of any potential carbon monoxide leaks.

The city that is the most likely to be able to recognise a potential gas leak is Edinburgh, with almost nine in every ten survey participants residing in the city claiming to know the warning signs of a gas leak. Almost three-quarters of females and three in every four males who took part in our survey also made this claim.

The city that is the least likely to be able to recognise a potential gas leak is Manchester, with almost two-fifths of survey participants residing in the city answering ‘no’ when asked if they know the warning signs of a gas leak. 

5 top tips on how to be Gas Safe in your home

1. Get an annual gas safety check - it’s really important to have a Gas Safe registered engineer check your gas appliances every year. By having these checks completed annually, you can be assured that all of your gas appliances are working as they should be, or you can be notified of any potential issues.
2. Look out for signs that your boiler isn’t working correctly - potential signs of a fault in your boiler can include visible leaks, strange smells and noises, a flame that isn’t blue, fluctuations in water temperature and high energy bills.
3. Purchase a carbon monoxide alarm - carbon monoxide detectors essentially do the same job as a fire alarm, but instead, they work to detect carbon monoxide rather than smoke. Due to carbon monoxide being odourless, colourless and tasteless, an alarm can potentially save your life, as the gas is otherwise hard to detect. In the UK, between 40 and 50 people die and approximately 200 people are hospitalised every year due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
4. Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning - you must know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and can identify these in a person, as it can be deadly. As previously mentioned, symptoms include headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue and irregular breathing. If any of these symptoms are identified either within yourself or another household member, seek help from a medical professional immediately.
5. Ensure there is adequate ventilation - for your gas appliances to burn correctly, they may require specific ventilation or air vents. This means ensuring that no air vents or chimneys in your home are blocked or obstructed. 

Methodology:

We used regional stats from Gas Safe Register to discover how many households were found to have unsafe gas appliances after being inspected. We then used data from the Office for National Statistics to gather the number of households in each regional area. Following this, we multiplied the number of households with unsafe gas appliances by the total number of households in each area, to discover how many homes may potentially have unsafe gas appliances.

We also submitted a survey to 2,000 people asking the following questions:

• Roughly, how old is your boiler?
• Do you get your boiler serviced by a gas-safe engineer?
• Do you know the warning signs of a gas leak in the home?