During the winter months, when temperatures often drop below zero, people turn to their central heating systems to keep their homes warm. However one boiler expert is now warning about potentially lethal odours that can emanate from your heating system.
He emphasised the importance of being aware of dangerous smells that could come from your boiler, such as the scent of rotten eggs, burning or metallic-like scents. Recognising these smells allows for swift action, which could involve calling a professional or immediately evacuating your property.
Joshua Houston, a boiler specialist at GreenMatch, has provided more detailed information below about why it’s crucial to be alert if you detect any of these odours. Bad boiler smells that require immediate action include: Rotten eggs – If you notice an inexplicable smell similar to rotten eggs, this could indicate a gas leak.
First, shut off your gas supply at the energy control valve, or the equivalent in your heating system. Then, promptly evacuate all members of your household, including pets.
This is because a spark could trigger a potentially fatal explosion. Finally, get in touch with a Gas Safe registered professional who should be able to identify and rectify the issue.
Boiler smells that require action:
Rotten eggs
If you notice an unexplainable rotten egg-type smell, then this could be a sign of a gas leak. Firstly, turn off your gas supply at the energy control valve, or your heating systems equivalent. Then evacuate all of your household members immediately, along with any pets. This is because a spark could cause a potentially deadly explosion.
Finally, contact a Gas Safe registered professional who should be able to identify and fix the problem.
Burning
Burning is one of the most concerning smells to have in a home. It can be caused by a wide variety of things and is often hard to identify. Boilers can cause this smell if dust or other debris burns when coming into contact with their hot metal coil. This isn’t a big problem as the smell should go away after 30 minutes.
If it hasn’t, then this might be a sign that your boiler is overheating, especially if your hot water supply is inconsistent. In this scenario, you should turn off your gas supply, before calling a professional to have a look.
Metallic
A metallic smell could be for the same reason as the rotten egg smell. The same actions should be taken, as a gas leak is extremely dangerous.
Alternatively, it could be an oil leakage from your boiler. Don’t try and fix the problem yourself, instead call a professional who will try and rectify it safely. Another area of concern is carbon monoxide, a metallic smell is a sign that it might also be leaking. Carbon monoxide itself is odourless, but this strengthens the importance of bringing in Gas Safe Engineers to take a look.
Joshua said:‘’It’s crucial that the public is aware of these three smells related to boilers. As otherwise they could be in serious danger without their knowledge. Calling a professional or evacuating a home can save lives.
“On average, 40 people die a year in the UK from deaths relating to boilers. So, smells that you might think are innocent, really need to be taken seriously.’’