13 December 2006
Broken down or dilapidated boilers could cause a serious household accident or severe illness if they are not spotted early enough, cautions the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Its advice follows its carbon monoxide (CO) awareness campaign, commemorated on December 5th.
Geoffrey Podger, HSE's chief executive, said: "Encouraging public understanding is an important weapon in cutting the number of people killed or made seriously ill each year as a result of CO poisoning."
Also supporting the awareness campaign were Sian and Colin Goodson, whose family became ill when they were exposed to CO from a poorly ventilated boiler. The Bristol-based couple moved into their house last October, where a boiler had been installed several years earlier.
"My husband's parents, brother and sister came to stay with us the night before the funeral of his grandmother and on the morning of the funeral we all had showers," said Mrs Goodson.
"There was no warning, such as a strange smell or taste, we simply all started to feel ill and faint and my eight-month-old baby was unusually sleepy.
"Luckily, Colin and his brother quickly realised that something was wrong and we all got out of the house just in time, although my son Archie had passed out by this point."
All of the family are now perfectly healthy, but the ancient boiler, which is believed to have stopped working because of the pressure of supplying hot water to so many people that morning, could have the already-grieving family more strife.
Ms Goodson advises consumers to have their boiler serviced regularly to ensure that their gas supply is safe, adding that "it might cost you your life if you don't".
Faulty boilers can also cost consumers a considerable amount of money in repairs if they are not discovered early enough.
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