Sir, – The article "Rise in stove-related domestic fires" (January 17th) refers to an increase in emergency callouts to stove-related domestic fires and an increase in incidences of carbon monoxide build-up in homes linked to poor stove installation.
The solution to this problem is improved installation standards through a mandatory competent person scheme.
Stoves should only be installed by competent installers with a certificate issued to show consumers that the installation is safe, and compliant with local building regulations. In Northern Ireland, you require a building control certificate, and you can use local authority approval or a competent person to notify the work in England and Wales. In both scenarios the consumer knows the work has been done compliantly and to local building regulations.
Solid-fuel and oil users have no protection in Ireland as Government has no mandatory scheme for installers of oil or solid fuel, which is bizarre when both gas and electrical work is regulated. This needs to change to ensure all households are safe. Consumers using oil and solid-fuel appliances should receive the same level of safety, and this will ultimately decrease the number of dangerous incidents across the country. – Yours, etc,
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DAVID BLEVINGS,
Ireland Manager,
OFTEC – The Oil-Firing
Technical Association,
Glasnevin, Dublin 11.