With over 50,000 solid fuel stoves and oil boilers installed each year in Ireland, OFTEC is raising awareness of the dangers associated with these and all fuel appliances during Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, which is running from Monday next. In Ireland, every year carbon monoxide poisoning causes the death of up to six people and makes many more ill.
OFTEC, which represents the domestic oil heating, cooking and solid fuel installers in Ireland, is supporting Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week for the fifth year in a row and is highlighting the particularly high risk associated with the recent growth in stoves across the country.
Through its technicians, the trade body has found that many householders are still unaware of the risks of the potentially deadly substance in relation to fossil fuels and preventative measures that they should be taking.
OFTEC Ireland Manager David Blevings said,“Carbon Monoxide is a highly poisonous gas which in high levels can kill in as little as three minutes earning it the name ‘the silent killer’. Therefore it is vital that householders take the necessary precautions with solid fuel stoves and all fossil fuel appliances and that’s why we fully support Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week.
“It is very important that householders understand the importance of checking their home heating systems annually for leaks, damage or defects, including oil or gas boilers as well as solid fuel appliances. Solid and multi-fuel stoves can be extremely dangerous, as we have seen from instances in Ireland in recent years.
“An audible Carbon Monoxide Alarm is one preventative measure but it can give a false sense of security and the advice from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and OFTEC is to have all your fossil fuelled appliances serviced annually by a qualified technician. Unfortunately householders face a greater risk if they have boilers ‘cleaned’ by so-called ‘cowboy’ installers who may not be qualified or deemed competent to work in your home. OFTEC would support the advice from SEAI who suggest ‘An annual boiler safety check and boiler service, carried out by a professional service engineer ensures that your boiler is functioning properly’.
For more information and Carbon Monoxide Awareness advice visit: www.carbonmonoxide.ie
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.