Domestic Hot Water - Safety Alert

The Health & Safety Executive issued a safety alert to homeowners, tenants, landlords and the plumbing industry after the tragic news story concerning the death of a baby as a result of the hot water system overheating.

The problem appears most likely to occur if you are using an electric immersion heater for hot water. A defective thermostat on an old type of immersion heater has been the cause of the problems. If you only using a gas boiler for hot water there should not be any cause for concern.

The following are typical warning signs of a more serious problem:

• The water coming out of the hot tap is excessively hot;
• Excessive noise or bubbling from the hot water cylinder;
• Hot water coming out of certain cold water taps;
• Steam/moisture in the roof space.

If these warning signs apply switch off the immersion heater immediately and report it to our Customer Services Centre as a matter of urgency.

If you have any worries, please feel free to contact us.