Information Bulletin from Technical Safety BC: Annual servicing for gas appliances and REBATES

Topic

BC Safety Authority advises homeowners that all gas fired appliances require regular maintenance to operate efficiently and safely.

Annual servicing recommended – Have all home heating devices regardless of fuel type, serviced annually to prevent fires and carbon monoxide poisoning which can cause death. Natural gas, propane, oil and wood burning appliances that are not operating correctly produce carbon monoxide, an odorless, tasteless toxic gas.

Basic symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are: headache, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath and confusion. You are advised to have a Canadian certified carbon monoxide detector installed in your home for added protection.

Important information

Furnace \ boiler \ water heater cleaning and servicing – Have heating appliances, including gas and oil-burning furnaces \ boilers, wood-burning stoves and chimneys etc. serviced annually.

Signs of service being required immediately

Pilot light outages and/or yellow or wavering burner flame
Continuous or intermittent odor
Booming noises upon start-up
Dying house plants
Condensation on the inside of the windows

Natural gas or propane leaks

Natural gas or propane will emit a strong rotten egg odor as it escapes. If you smell gas, open doors and windows. Do not turn on any lights or appliances which may cause a spark that could ignite the gas. Get everyone outside and away from the building. Shut off the main gas supply valve found at the propane tank or gas meter.

Phone your gas utility or propane supplier immediately from outside of the house or from your neighbor’s house.

Important note: Servicing and maintenance of gas appliances should only be carried out by a certified gas fitter, employed by a BCSA licensed gas contractor. A list of active qualified gas contractors can be viewed through the “Find a Contractor” box on our web site.