In Estonia, home consumers can use either natural gas or liquefied gas. The gas equipment is practically the same for both types.
Use of gas is generally safe, as modern gas appliances come with automatic safety features. There are strict requirements on installation of gas equipment. To guarantee safety:
- have your gas appliances inspected and serviced regularly.
- have your gas appliances inspected, serviced and repaired only by a company that holds a license for working with gas equipment. A List of providers of gas work services (.xlsx, in Estonian) is available on the website of the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority.
- use the gas appliances pursuant to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- do not obstruct the inflow of fresh air or exhaust as combustion requires oxygen and combustion produces smoke gases.
Each apartment owner is responsible for the compliance with requirements of the gas installation in their apartment (gas pipes and gas appliances). Responsibility for the gas pipes in the stairways of apartment buildings is shared between the members of the apartment association. Any reconstruction of a gas installation within the apartment must be approved by the co-owners of the apartment building and by the apartment association.
The technical functionality of the gas installation and gas appliance as well as possible significant deficiencies can be determined with an audit. If the gas installation of a home consumer does not have an audit (technical inspection) report from before it was taken into use, the gas installation should be audited. A list of auditors is available on the website of the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority.
When connecting an appliance to a gas canister, be aware of where the appliance is to be used. In general, the liquid gas canister may not be installed in the immediate vicinity of the building exit, shaft or stairwell, or a room where the floor is below the ground level. If you smell gas, turn off all gas valves and switch off gas appliances, open the windows and ventilate the room. Call 112 to report the incident.
A carbon monoxide detector is mandatory in all buildings with a gas heater or gas water heater. A carbon monoxide detector is also mandatory in a building if a gas appliance is located in the dwelling and technical measures have been taken to prevent the formation of carbon monoxide and the ingress of carbon monoxide into the dwelling. In addition, a carbon monoxide detector is mandatory if the building has solid heating equipment that can generate carbon monoxide (oven, fireplace, stove, boiler, etc.).
References
- List of providers of gas work services
- Gas appliances and installations
- Emergency and information lines