A Routine Home Visit Turns Critical: How a Gas Leak Was Narrowly Averted

The Groundwork Yorkshire Green Doctor service provides home visits and telephone energy advice. It is one of the few independent energy advice services that still provide free home visits, as the vast majority of energy advice services are funded to only deliver remote telephone advice. Whenever possible, there’s really no substitute for being in a persons home.

Home visits allow Green Doctors to directly observe an individual’s living conditions, personal well-being, and immediate environment. This provides a more holistic understanding of a person’s needs that cannot be captured through a phone call. For example, approximately 40% of our clients have some form of damp, mould issue which cannot be assessed and advised upon adequately via telephone. Many people ask for support with their heating system settings, such as the programmer/timer, boiler controls etc, this cannot be accurately done remotely. Many more people are struggling with energy costs/debt and often have difficulty understanding the complex bills they receive, having an expert Green Doctor in the home to go through the bills with them can be very reassuring and beneficial.

Our Green Doctors work from a ‘make every contact count’ approach whereby we assess much more than our basic remit of energy. This ethos takes into account many potential safety risks a person faces, such as trip, electrical and fire hazards. This approach paid dividends recently.

What began as a standard Green Doctor home visit in Garforth quickly escalated into a potentially life-threatening situation when a hidden gas leak was discovered in a local residence. The incident highlights the critical importance of home safety inspections and the vigilance of our Green Doctors.

During a routine visit, a Green Doctor representative was meeting with a client when the discovery of a dangerous gas leak narrowly prevented what could have been a catastrophic incident. Upon entering the property’s cellar to check meters, the energy adviser immediately detected a strong gas odor, confirming the smell with both the client and their carer.

Immediate investigation revealed severe safety issues with the home’s boiler. The appliance was improperly mounted and, most critically, its flue had become detached, allowing harmful gases to leak directly into the living space. Acting swiftly, the Green Doctor representative took immediate protective measures: shutting off the gas supply, evacuating the occupants, and opening windows to ventilate the area.

Northern Gas Network was promptly contacted, and a technician named Stu responded quickly to the scene. His assessment was unequivocal – the boiler was immediately condemned due to the significant risk of harmful gas and carbon dioxide leakage.

As a precautionary measure, the client and carer were accompanied to Accident & Emergency at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield. Medical staff conducted oxygen level checks before clearing them to return home, with instructions to contact 111 if any concerning symptoms emerged.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential hidden dangers in our homes and the importance of regular safety checks. Groundwork Yorkshire’s energy advisors, the Green Doctor team, play a crucial role in identifying and preventing potentially fatal home hazards.

The quick thinking and immediate action taken that day may well have saved lives, underscoring the value of professional home safety visits.