Summer is the best time to danger-proof your house – here's why

A few simple checks could avoid gas-related trouble in the chilly winter months

fitted kitchen in a 17th century cottage
(Image credit: Andreas von Einsiedel)

How often do you check the gas and electric appliances in your house? If you're anything like us, the answer is probably 'not enough' – but now is the perfect time to run a home MOT.

Regulations company Gas Tag is urging homeowners to check their appliances over the summer months after a survey revealed a basic lack of safety knowledge among property owners.

According to the research, 66 per cent of homes in the UK have defective gas appliances and 40 per cent of smoke alarms don't work.

If that wasn't worrying enough, there are also over 1.1 million illegal gas installations carried out each year, putting the lives of millions of people at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, gas leaks, fires and explosions.

An infographic showing facts and figures around gas safety

(Image credit: Gas Tag)

Gas Tag suggests getting a Gas Safe-registered engineer to come out during the summer months.

Stephen Ullathorne, co-CEO of Gas Tag, says, 'We all know how busy it gets at this time of year, but taking time out from our hectic schedules to ensure our appliances are safe could be a life-saver.

'Research tells us that fewer than five per cent of households put a gas safety check on their to-do list during the summer season, but it really should be the number one priority.'

Almost a fifth of households don't have their gas appliances legally checked, meaning that as many as 12 million people could be living with dangerous appliances.

The easiest way to ensure you're employing a trustworthy and legal tradesperson is to check their ID card and qualifications – and ensure that they're registered on the Gas Safe register.

Ellen Finch
Deputy editor

Joining as features editor in 2017, Ellen now looks after the day-to-day running of Real Homes magazine as deputy editor. She also commissions and writes many of the real case studies you'll see on the site, and loves speaking to people about their homes and get the details on the hacks they've tried and loved. She's currently gearing up to buy a home of her own in 2023 – hopefully with a garden to plant veg and wildflowers – and has a special interest in sustainable living, clever book storage, and cats.

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