OFTEC urges making CO check part of boiler service

Article date : 18/08/2010

Carbon monoxide (CO) checks should be made a mandatory aspect of boiler services, according to a body of oil technicians.

According to the Coleraine Times, OFTEC is advising all homeowners relying on oil-powered appliances to have their heating checked out before the winter.

Manager of the body in Ireland David Blevings said all fossil fuel appliances produce CO, but that this should not pose a threat to their owners as long as the items are installed and serviced correctly.

"It makes common sense to have your appliance checked and serviced annually by a competent person to make sure it is running safely and efficiently," he advised.

Mr Blevings claimed that many people forget about their boilers until the temperature drops and they need them more, but that this thinking should change.

He urged consumers to always contact a properly qualified boiler engineer - who in England and Wales should be a member of the Gas Safe Register - to carry out the work, as an unqualified person may cause a problem with the appliance.

His comments follow the deaths of two teenage boys of CO poisoning who were staying at a holiday apartment in Castlerock.

Written by Jasper Cullen

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