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Flood safety – advice on how to keep your boiler intact

The wettest January since records began in 1766 has seen unprecedented flooding all over England. According to the Environmental Agency, since the beginning of December 5,800 homes and businesses have flooded – as reported by bbc.co.uk. Thankfully, the waters seem to have abated (although the bad weather is by no means over) and homes and businesses are cleaning up the damage.

Devastating flood scenes have left boilers and central heating an afterthought but the truth of the matter is that water and electricity are not compatible. If your business is located near floodwater and the risk of flooding is high, it’s probably best to turn off all electrical devices (before the flood waters enter the property) – remembering that your boiler will also turn off (most requiring an electrical connection to function) and thus central eating will be inoperable.

The safe operation of boiler systems is impacted when the electrical systems, controls and safety devices become inundated with water. In extreme cases such events can partially or totally submerge these systems causing malfunction or catastrophic consequences. So, although inconvenient, it’s best to just turn the electricity off to subvert any potential damage that may be done by floodwaters.

Some other safety tips are:

  • Don’t touch any electrical appliance whilst standing in water (to avoid electric shock).
  • Once the floodwater has subsided, before your electricity is turned back on the electrical system must be checked by an electrician, and the heating system should ideally be isolated until a full safety check can be conducted by a Gas Safe engineer.
  • And what about your boiler? Paul Hardy, Managing Director at Baxi, says that as a general rule, all the electrical components of the boiler should be given a once over and engineers should check the PCB for any damage or debris before conducting a full system check.

It’s important for businesses to practice ‘boiler safety’ so that minimal water damage is caused (saving money and insurance hassle) and employees and business patrons can work in a safe environment.

For any information, especially in light of recent flooding, please feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc

Source: hpvmag.co.uk – “What to do during the floods”