Gas Heater Safety Before Winter
Old open-flued heaters can leak carbon monoxide. What to check and when to call a gasfitter.
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The danger you cannot smell
Carbon monoxide is produced when gas burns poorly. A dirty burner, blocked flue, cracked heat exchanger or poor ventilation lets it spill into the room. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, nausea and tiredness.
Who is at risk
Homes with older open-flued space heaters or wall furnaces, heaters that have not been serviced for years, rooms that have been sealed up with new windows, and rooms where exhaust fans run near the heater.
Service every two years
Energy Safe Victoria recommends servicing gas heaters at least every two years. A service includes cleaning, checking the flue and ventilation, and testing for spillage and carbon monoxide.
Warning signs
- yellow or orange flames
- soot marks around the heater
- a pilot that keeps going out
- condensation on nearby windows
- people feeling unwell when the heater is on
Turn the heater off, ventilate and call a gasfitter.
Never
Use outdoor heaters or barbecues indoors, or block heater vents.
CO alarms
A carbon monoxide alarm adds protection but does not replace servicing.
Landlords
Gas safety checks are required every two years in Victorian rentals.
Signs a heater is unsafe
- yellow or orange flames instead of blue
- soot marks around the heater or flue
- headaches, dizziness or nausea when the heater is on
- a heater that is hard to light or keeps going out
Turn the heater off and call a licensed gasfitter if you notice any of these.
Book a check before winter
Booking in autumn avoids the rush.
Carbon monoxide alarms
Fit a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with gas heaters and test it monthly. It is a cheap extra layer of protection.
Renters
Landlords must arrange gas safety checks at least every two years. Ask your agent when yours was last done. Call us to book a gas heater safety check before winter.
Noble Park pipes at a glance
Most of Noble Park was built between the late 1940s and the 1970s, so original houses usually have clay sewer pipe, galvanised or early copper water pipe and gas hot water outside the laundry. Newer townhouses on subdivided blocks have PVC drains, plastic or copper water pipe and continuous-flow or heat pump hot water. We use cameras, locators, pressure tests and leak detection gear to see what is going on before anyone digs or cuts a wall.
Related services
- Emergency plumbing
- Blocked drains
- Hot water
- Gas fitting
- Hot water replacement
- Heat pumps
- Leaking taps
- Burst pipes
- Toilets
- Leak detection
- Pipe relining
- Stormwater
- Bathroom renovations
- Roof and gutters
- Commercial plumbing
- Backflow testing
More guides
Why Noble Park calls us first
We pick up
Ring and you talk to a plumber who can tell you what to do right now.
Old pipes, new builds
Galvanised pipe from the fifties or a brand-new townhouse, we know both.
Price before work
The fault is found first, then you get a fixed price. No rates, no surprises.
Left clean
Tested, tidied and the paperwork lodged before we drive off.
Get a free quote
Tell us what is going on and a licensed Noble Park plumber will ring you back.
How quoting works
Ring 03 8658 7042 or send the form with a short description, and a photo if you have one. A licensed plumber rings you back and books a time. On site they find the cause, explain your options and give you a fixed price. Nothing starts until you agree, and bigger jobs get a free written quote.
Need a plumber in Noble Park?
Noble Park, Noble Park North, Dandenong, Springvale, Keysborough and nearby. Quote-only: we find the fault, then give you a fixed price.