Warning over faulty thermostats on boilers

Following the tragic death of a baby who died after being scalded by water from a hot water tank which had a faulty thermometer, Herefordshire Council has urged tenants, private landlords and homeowners to watch out for telltale warning signs with their water system to help prevent any further tragedies.

The guidance, based on Health and Safety Executive alerts, has warned that particular consideration should be given to hot water systems over 10 years old and systems where homeowners and landlords may have other reason to suspect the adequacy of the initial installation or any subsequent work.

The warning signs people in any home should look out for include:
· Excessively hot water coming out of the hot water taps;
· Excessive noise or 'bubbling' from the hot water cylinder;
· Hot water coming out of certain cold water taps (some storage cisterns also feed cold water taps in the bathroom);
· Steam/moisture in the roof space.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: "Councils treat their role of protecting tenants and local residents exceptionally seriously and will do everything within their power to prevent any further tragic losses of life through faulty thermostats.

"Local people with systems more than ten years old should be aware of how to spot whether their thermostat is faulty and who to contact to get it fixed as quickly as possible.

"Homeowners should be aware and alert to the warning signs that appear when a thermostat becomes faulty. We are committed to putting people first and will help local residents to ensure that the right advice or remedy is made to try and prevent any future awful tragedies."