OFTEC Issues Safety Advice Following Stove Incidents in Wexford
3rd February 2015: OFTEC, the organisation which represents the domestic oil and solid fuel heating and cooking industry in Ireland, today issued a safety warning to householders following an incident on Friday 23rd January 2015 involving a multi-fuel stove at Davidstown in Glynn, county Wexford.
Wexford fire fighters have reportedly been called to several fires involving multi-fuel stoves in recent weeks. A fire service spokesman said two were particularly serious and involved hot gases from the stoves’ flues going into the joists and setting fire to the roofs of two homes.
There has been major growth in the sales of stoves in Ireland in recent years, with as many as 40,000 estimated to be sold here annually.
OFTEC issued important advice for stove owners to prevent very dangerous incidents like those in Wexford happening again.
OFTEC Ireland Manager, David Blevings says: “While they have also fast become a trendy centre-piece in the homes of many families – it is critically important they are installed and maintained correctly. Like all fuel burning appliances, they should be installed by a registered technician and then serviced at least once a year.”
“If a flue is installed incorrectly this can lead to a fire starting in the attic or a carbon monoxide leak into the property with potentially deathly consequences. The guidelines relating to stove installation detailed in the Technical Guidance Document J must be followed.”
“The current regulations require all new and replacement heating installations to be commissioned and we are encouraging householders to use an OFTEC registered technician who specialises in solid fuel installs. Many of our technicians are now installing and servicing solid fuel appliances and for added peace of mind, carry a flue gas analyser that can check for carbon monoxide spillage”.
“Our advice on stoves is simple, use a competent person for your solid fuel installation work to ensure it is carried out professionally and correctly to current Building regulation standards”, added David.
In addition to protecting your family and home, OFTEC advises that the annual servicing of appliances will also improve their efficiency, offering potential cost savings on energy bills and can also extend the life of the appliance by avoiding costly repairs or replacements.
For your nearest OFTEC technician log on to http://www.ofteconline.com/locatecompany.asp
About
OFTEC is the Oil Firing Technical Association and represents the domestic oil heating and cooking industry in the UK and Republic of Ireland. OFTEC’s runs a not-for-profit trade association for the manufacturers of oil fired equipment and a licensed, competent persons scheme for the technicians who install, commission and service oil-fired equipment.
OFTEChas over 10,000 registered businesses and technicians throughout Ireland and the UK who are qualified and insured to work in your home. A list of OFTEC registered technicians can be found at www.oftec.org.
