Landlords in the UK are being reminded by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) that it is their responsibility to ensure the property has gas installations that are safe and that have been checked by a competent Corgi registered plumber or heating engineer.
A fault with the council house boiler meant that a family had a Christmas to forget. The boiler broke down on the 23rd of December and the family of five (including a three week old baby) had to spend a cold Christmas without a boiler, without hot water and without a cooker and with a very sour atmosphere.
British Gas has announced that it plans to develop a household boiler that is powered by fuels cells. The new domestic boiler, a major improvement on current renewable technologies, will produce up to two and half tones less of carbon dioxide per year compared with a standard boiler. According to British Gas, the new boiler will cut a typical household’s carbon dioxide emissions by up to 50 per cent. The new boiler will be an outcome of British Gas’ collaboration with Ceres Power.
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has launched a scheme for energy assessors. The Scheme has been accredited by the government’s department for Communities and Local Government. The certification is one of the first available for energy assessors.
Ideal Boilers, known in the industry for its domestic and commercial heating systems, is rolling out a new logo and corporate identity. The company that offers a wide range of products from boilers and central heating radiators to bathroom suites, has been privately owned since the end of 2007.
Corgi, the UK’s gas safety watchdog is calling for an introduction of a coherent system of gathering and reporting data on carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, as several reports show conflicting results on injuries and fatalities due to CO poisoning (caused from faulty boilers, faulty gas cookers etc.).
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has admitted that the new gas installer registration scheme will be introduced nine months later than originally planned.
Senior management of the big six utility companies in the UK have confirmed that bills for electricity and heating gas are most likely to rise substantially this year.
Baxi, the boiler manufacturers owned by a private equity fund has come under severe pressure recently as the credit crunch started to impact highly leveraged buy out investments. BC Partners, the owners of Baxi, has seen first quarter profits plunge, while debts pile up.
Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer, it has no smell, no colour and has is responsible for around 30 deaths every year in the UK. Leading experts in the heating and plumbing industry recommend that every household check their boiler at least once a year. This should be undertaken by a Corgi registered plumber or heating engineer.