Carbon monoxide safety in your council home

You can't:

• See it
• Taste it, or
• Smell it

But carbon monoxide can kill.

The early symptoms of poisoning include tiredness, drowsiness, headache, pains in the chest and stomach pains. You are particularly vulnerable when you are asleep.

There is a particular risk if you sleep in a room where an appliance, without a balanced flue, is left burning at night. Generally, a balanced-flue has a vent or flue outlet to an outside wall.

Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning

You should not:

• Use a gas appliance if you suspect it is not working properly. Signs to look out for include yellow or orange flames, soot or stains around the appliance and pilot lights which frequently blow out
• Cover an appliance or block vents
• Block or obstruct any fixed ventilation, grilles or air bricks
• Block or cover outside flues or chimneys
• Fit draught stripping to doors of a room containing a gas appliance

Further information and advice are available from the Gas Safe Register website.

It is now illegal to convert or let a bedroom which contains an open flue appliance without a safety device.

If you suspect a leak

• Switch off the appliance
• Turn off the mains supply
• Open windows and doors
• Contact your GP

Tenants - contact the Joint Control Centre on 020 8871 8999 
Leaseholders - contact a Gas Safe registered contractor 
Emergency only - Gas Emergency National Grid 0800 111 999