MARTYN O'CONNOR & Co

Heating Engineers & Plumbers

Tirowen
LLangoedmor
Cardigan
SA43 2LB

Tel 01239 613423
 

Help! The Cat's on fire!!

EMERGENCY ACTIONS

 
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GAS Remember that the degree of smell is no indication of the seriousness of a gas escape. If you can smell gas or suspect a leak you MUST do the following:-

  • Turn off the gas supply immediately at the meter control valve or emergency control valve. Look near the meter or where the gas supply enters the building. For LPG turn off the bottles or for Bulk tanks locate the valve on the outside of the building near where the pipe enters.
  • Extinguish all sources of ignition
  • Do not smoke
  • Do not operate electric light or power switches (ON or OFF) as the small spark inside the switch may be enough to ignite the gas.
  • Ventilate the building by opening doors and windows
  • Ensure access to the premises can be made
  • Call 0800 111 999 to report the escape to the National Gas Emergency Service
  • Call us - we will always respond as quickly as possible to gas emergencies, and you will need a CORGI engineer to fix the leak and reinstate your supply.
  • Keep Gas appliances serviced regularly - that means EVERY YEAR!

 
    Click the cause of your distress

OIL Oil spills and leaks are not as inherently dangerous as gas; Kerosene at room temperatures usually requires the application of a naked flame to ignite it. However spills can have severe environmental consequences and pollution of watercourses, streams and rivers can result in heavy fines. Avoid contact with your skin if possible

If you find an oil leak

  • Turn off the supply at the isolating valve on the oil tank
  • Mop up spills with sand, earth, cloths or any absorbent material
  • If the leak is in the oil tank - try to collect as much as possible into cans, buckets etc.
  • If the leak is severe, try to form a dam with sand or earth until help arrives.
  • Phone the Fire Brigade if you cannot cope and pollution of a watercourse is possible
  • Phone your installer or your oil supply company to get the tank pumped out

We have a spare tank on a trailer and a pump to transfer oil from a leaking tank and back into a replacement with the minimum of bother.

DO check the tank, gauge and oil pipe work regularly, and get any weeps and drips sorted out before they turn into disasters

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WATER is all around us but it don't half make a mess when it's out of control!

LEAKS

  • Turn OFF the stop tap
  • Turn OFF the boiler or immersion heater
  • Turn ON all hot and cold taps and leave running until they stop
  • Turn OFF the ELECTRICITY at the main switch if water is dripping from lights, switches etc.
  • If water is dripping through the celing poke a screwdriver through any bulge to drain trapped water

 

BASICS

  • Know where your stop tap is. Under the sink is a good place to start, or where the main enters the building. There is always one on the boundary to your property, often in the pavement, or near the driveway. If you cannot find it, phone the water company and they will locate it for you.
  • Make sure that it works. Unused stop taps become stiff and difficult to turn. Just turn it on & off every couple of months to keep it free. At the same time turn it off and check that the water stops - the washer may need changing. If it's in a difficult place we can relocate it or fit a pushbutton 'Water Stop' unit.
  • Turn the water off if you go away. You DO NOT need to leave it on to run the central heating! The heating header tank holds enough water to keep the boiler going for months. With the water off the worst that can happen is the leaking of the 70gallons or so in storage tanks. Conversely, a burst main in the attic can easily leak 100 Gallons an hour for every hour of your holiday.
  • Check pipe and tank lagging in attics and unheated spaces. Pipes laid above the celing insulation need snug fitting lagging with a wall thickness of at least 25mm, and tank jackets should be 75mm thick. Check and upgrade before it's too late.
  • Keep the plumbing well maintained get any leaks fixed, don't ignore white spots or blue/green marks on hot water pipe work, joints and cylinders especially if your water comes from a spring, well or borehole.

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ELECTRICITY

Sparks, Smoke, Burning smells, Overheating cables, switches, sockets etc.

. Switch off the supply at the main fuse box - Usually found near the celing by the front door or where the supply cables enter the building

. Do Not touch the appliance or fitting concerned until you are sure that the Electric supply has been disconnected.

. Do Not attempt to put out electrical fires with water.

Electrical shocks

If you get a shock or feel a tingling sensation when touching an electrical appliance or fitting, water pipe, or any metallic fitting in the home

. Turn off the Electricity supply and contact your electrician to have your system checked.

. DO NOT touch anyone who is experiencing an electric shock. Turn the power off or if you cannot reach the switch use a non conducting object such as a dry broom handle to push the victim or appliance away.

 

Get your system checked annually by a qualified electrician.

Keep equipment in good repair and regularly check flexes and leads for cuts and kinks

Ensure that you use the correct fuse rating - 13Amp fuses should only be used in high power appliances like kettles, washing machines etc. 5 or 3 Amp is usually big enough for most other things.

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