- Public urged to get ready for cold weather
- Top ten tips for staying safe and warm in your home this winter
- Advice on who to call if problems strike
Britain’s biggest gas network, Cadent, is urging people to get ready for winter after this year’s ‘Beast from the East’ Siberian cold snap saw gas emergency calls soar.
Cadent manages the free 0800 111 999* National Gas Emergency Service number. Its contact centre in Hinckley takes calls from across the country and dispatches engineers to keep people safe from gas leaks and deadly carbon monoxide.
Now, with the thermometer set to drop, Cadent is issuing advice on how to stay safe and warm this winter and who to call if the worst happens.
Staff dealt with a record 42,000 calls from across Britain on 1 March alone – five times as many as usual. But only a quarter were related to gas emergencies; many of the remaining calls were from distressed householders who had mistakenly contacted the National Gas Emergency number because their central heating had broken down and they didn’t know who to call for help.
Customer Centre Manager Dan Adcock, said: “Winter can be very unpredictable. When the ‘Beast from the East’ hit on 1 March, our contact centre staff dealt with a record 42,000 calls from across Britain on one day alone – five times as many as usual. But only a quarter were related to gas emergencies; many of the remaining calls were from distressed householders who had mistakenly contacted the National Gas Emergency number because their central heating had broken down and they didn’t know who to call for help.
“We always prepare for the worst but there are things householders can do, too, to ensure a safe and warm winter. Keep the National Gas Emergency Service number – 0800 111 999* - to hand and ring it immediately if you suspect a gas leak or deadly carbon monoxide or lose your gas supply.
“Keep the number of your gas boiler service contract provider, gas supplier (the company named at the top of your gas bill) or a Gas Safe Registered engineer to hand, in case your gas boiler breaks down. But please don’t ring the National Gas Emergency Service - we can’t help and you could block the line for a gas
“See our top ten tips for a warm and safe winter and for more safety advice go to our website -
https://cadentgas.com/help-advice/be-winter-ready - and follow us on twitter (@CadentGasLtd) and Facebook.”
Top ten tips for a warm and safe winter
- Keep the National Gas Emergency Service number – 0800 111 999* – handy and ring it immediately if you smell gas or suspect a deadly carbon monoxide leak
- Keep the number of your gas boiler service contract provider, gas supplier (the company name at the top of your gas bill), or contact details for a Gas Safe Registered engineer to hand in case your gas boiler breaks down or shows an error message. Please don’t call the National Gas Emergency Service – we can’t help and you could be blocking the line for a gas emergency.
- Get your gas appliances serviced by a Gas Safe Registered engineer. To find an engineer go to https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/ or ring 0800 408 5500
- If the condensate pipe from your boiler freezes this winter, follow this simple advice to thaw it:
- To thaw frozen boiler pipes, hold a hot water bottle or heat wrap around the pipe
- Alternatively, pour hot, NOT boiling, water over the frozen end of the pipe
- If the boiler fires up, it’s fixed. If it doesn’t, pour hot water on the pipe again. If your pipes are still frozen, call your gas supplier (the name at the top of your gas bill).
- Join the Priority Services Register. You may eligible for help from your energy company if you have extra communication, access or safety needs. This can include elderly people, those with a chronic illness, people with mental health issues or dementia and those born Deaf. For more information go to the Cadent website https://cadentgas.com/help-advice/supporting-our-customers/priority-services-register
- Buy an audible Carbon Monoxide alarm
- Know the signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide. For more information go to Cadent’s website: https://cadentgas.com/emergencies/suspect-carbon-monoxide
- Call 105 if you have a power cut
- Keep a torch handy in case of power cuts
- Keep an eye on the weather forecast and if you have loss of gas supply or a power cut check on your neighbours.