OFTEC have welcomed a new carbon monoxide (CO) legislation that has come into effect in Northern Ireland that requires that new properties are fitted with a CO alarm.

However, the organisation which represents the domestic oil heating and cooking industry says that it doesn’t go far enough and is calling for the Republic of Ireland to go much further in its current review of building regulations.

The legislation in NI requires a CO detector or alarm to be fitted where a boiler or solid fuel stove is located in new properties. OFTEC is concerned that many householders will still be at risk from the potentially deadly substance; particularly those with older and poorly maintained heating systems.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in Ireland recently launched a consultation on revisions of the Building Regulations which will require the installation of CO alarms in all new dwellings, provide guidance on the type of alarm to be installed and where to locate them.

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Damien Keenan from OFTEC Ireland, said: "While Northern Ireland has certainly taken a positive step forward in acknowledging the dangers of carbon monoxide and the importance of fitting a CO alarm in a new property, we believe there is a much greater risk within existing properties which may have old and poorly maintained boilers.

"OFTEC supported CER in highlighting Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week this year that highlighted that a CO alarm was only one of a number of preventative measures that should be put in place to reduce this risk of CO poisoning. An alarm, while important, can give a false sense of security and the best protection is to have appliances serviced regularly by a qualified technician.

"Almost half a million homes in the Republic of Ireland use heating oil as their primary heating source. These householders should always use an OFTEC Registered Technician when having their appliances serviced. These highly trained technicians use a flue gas analyser to check for carbon monoxide emissions and will perform a combustion test that can lead to improvements in energy efficiency and cost savings on energy bills."

(CD)