The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

kidcat

We were sent carbon monoxide detectors by the House builder after we moved in. I made sure we used them. But lots binned them. If in any doubt about gas smell I always call the emergency number having had a number of silly leaks in the past I won't take chances now.

Possession

Thankyou Ivyleaf. I was feeling most unloved! We popped out to a bootfair this morning (almost a waste of time, only a few stalls but I did get a very cheap rhubarb plant) so I've not been here all the time but as far as I'm aware I haven't heard a beep......perhaps it had a good night's sleep and fixed itself?! Only time will tell I think.
When living in flats we once called out BG because we had a really strong smell of gas but nobody else did, and they didn't find anything. They didn't mind being called out though, they said better safe than sorry.

SailorSam

Last week i thought icould smell gas before going to bed, i checked around and couldn't see anything but just to be on the safe side i turned it off at the meter until i got up in the morning.
If it was to be going bang i wanted to be up; awake and have some clothes on.
Whatever it was it seemed to go away by itself.

[Deleted User]

It's the same principle as going to the dentist and your tooth stops hurting in the waiting room!! the threat of the service engineer has made the beeping stop. Mind you if it hears you making the phone call to cancel the visit I'm certain that the beeping will begin again immediately! tricksy things modern kitchen gadgets.

So much for not letting creaky lurchers run free, apparently the nitwit did the 200yard high speed squirrel dash today, but he does seem a little less humpy backed now he's been out, luckily the squirrel was slightly younger and faster than the old lurcha and lurchas cant climb trees!!!

Possession

You might be right Mrs LW. I'm sure my dishwasher has some kind of alien intelligence too.

silvasava

Morning All

Re Gas Smell - DH & I had an awful smell in our bathroom a couple of years ago. I thought we might have a dead mouse in the loft as they smell 'gassy' when they're decomposing (dont ask how I know!!) He searched the loft & I made him take up all the insulation to check as well - nothing!
We dont have gas anywhere near our upstairs bathroom. Had the gas company out to check our supply & appliances - all OK. STILL a smell of gas & one night DH said he could smell it quite strongly by the front door (still evening , no wind) so we got GC out AGAIN - turned out the mains pipe had fractured and the escaping gas was drifting up the cavity wall to where I could smell it in the bathroom.
Please please - get them out again 'cos the fault may not be in your house but close by!!

Pyxis

Please note: Carbon Monoxide (CO) DOESN'T SMELL.

That's why it's it's SO important to have a CO detector in EVERY room where there's a gas appliance.

If you can smell gas, however faint, do please ring the gas board for advice, as a previous poster stated.

Could I add that, if you do smell gas, particularly if it's a definite or strong smell, don't turn on any lights or power points - the small 'spark' inside the switch/socket can be enough to ignite the gas!

Pyxis

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Carbon-monoxide-poisoning/Pages/Symptoms.aspx



This link gives you the symptoms of CO poisoning.

Worth knowing, because they mimic other conditions.

savingqueen

thanks to everyone who posted re gas/CO detectors etc. I have a detector near the boiler upstairs but I will publicly confess it never even crossed my mind to have anything near our gas cooker - which is old and has dodgy knobs. EEEK! Will buy a detector tomorrow.

Had a long day yesterday, decided to take my little lads out for the day so DH could revise. Went to the British Museum, mixed day, we enjoyed it but it was hard work. DS9 had a strop at lunchtime - he has a thing about eating out in public if the table/floor isn't spotless. It really tries my patience. If he doesn't eat (and lots) he gets grumpy. We got there in the end. Then later DS7 had a strop becuase he was so tired... a lot of walking and stairs plus the journey there topped up with excitement had wiped him out. Still a good day overall.

However we had an unpleasant and potentially dangerous experience on one of the tubes. A group of young teenagers got on and started causing trouble. Mischief to start with then shaken drinks with punctures made sprayed in the carriage - guess who got soaked? One young man tried to intervene and a woman got shirty with them which just escalated matters. I was watching and assessing the whole time especially as my two were nearby. When things got heated I tried to calm it down in a way that a mum figure can sometimes do. Partly helped but not enough as there was too much going on. Eventually there was a scuffle and the young man got pushed off the train and the group piled on top of him watched by my horrified children. I was so relieved they had gone but concerned for the man - fortunately some other passengers ran to the man's aid and then our train was delayed further up the line due to "an incident". I hope no-one was hurt.

Having a quiet day at home today! ust about to make bacon rolls for a late lunch then its the boring homework, boys' bedroom tidying (me nag, they eventually do it) and baths all round and general prep and wind down for school.

sq

greenbee

SQ - just to be clear, Carbon Monoxide detectors will NOT detect gas leaks. Gas has a stenching agent added to it (it is naturally odourless) so that you can smell it if there is a problem.

If you think you can smell gas call the national gas emergency number 0800 111 999 (this is not your supplier). Often small leaks don't cause a problem due to the level of ventilation, but can build up e.g. while you are on holiday.

Open windows/doors, don't do anything that could cause a spark, and if possible switch off your gas at the meter.

We once thought there was a gas leak in our street - it turned out that our boiler was failing to burn the gas and so instead of exhaust gasses going out of the flue it was unused gas... but it smelled in the street long before we could smell it in the house.