Why you should never attempt DIY boiler installationWhy you should never attempt DIY boiler installation
When you look up the cost of installing a new boiler, you might be wondering if you wouldn’t just be better off trying to save a few bob by installing it yourself, rather than hiring a professional.
The answer to your wonderings is absolutely not. No matter how advanced your DIY skills may be, Gas appliances are not something to mess around with and the consequences of doing so can be deadly.
It is not necessarily illegal to conduct DIY work on gas appliances but you must be ‘competent’ in order to do so. In this case, ‘competent’ means highly trained, highly experienced, and extremely knowledgeable about the nature of gas and the threats that malpractice can pose to all those nearby.
What are the potential dangers of DIY gas appliance fitting?
Working with gas can be incredibly dangerous if you do not have the required knowledge and safety training to do so.
When we think of the dangers of gas appliances, explosions are the first thing that comes to mind. Whilst these are rare, this is not without reason and gas leaks remain a serious threat to life and property. Devastatingly, around 50 people lose their lives in the UK each and every year as a result of gas leaks.
A boiler that is not installed correctly is much more likely to leak and this is the main reason why DIY installation is not only frowned upon, it may actually be against the law.
Even if a gas leak does not lead directly to an explosion, the threat to health is still very serious. Carbon monoxide poisoning, if severe enough, can also be fatal, and it simply isn’t worth the risk to your own health or the health of your family to risk something this serious simply to save a few quid.
As well as the health threats that come with DIY gas work, there is a very good chance that you will lose any warranty that is provided by the boiler manufacturer if you were to attempt DIY installation. Most manufacturers will explicitly state that such a warranty is only valid so long as the boiler is installed by a Gas Safe engineer. Given the potential cost of boiler repairs, this is something that is definitely worth adhering to as any money you save during installation will quickly be exceeded if your boiler need to be repaired or replaced later on.
Who should install your boiler?
If you are looking for boiler replacement Glasgow, you should only ever use a fully qualified Gas Safe engineer. Gas Safe engineers must undergo extensive safety training to obtain this status and you can be confident that they possess the competence to conduct gas boiler installations, servicing, replacement, and repairs.
Luckily, there is a gas safe register that neatly provides you with a list of all the local gas engineers in your area that is the perfect place to start your search when considering new boiler installation.