When the temperature in the apartment tends to uncomfortably low values, residents begin an active search for a solution to the problem. And often the first thing that comes to mind is to turn on the gas stove in the kitchen as a heater. It seems that it is enough to reach out a hand with a lighted match and it will soon be warm. Right?
And everything would be fine, but for some reason the thought does not leave my head about whether it is possible to warm up with a gas stove and what consequences do you need to be prepared for? We will help you thoroughly understand this difficult issue - the article discusses the dangers that lurk behind such a seemingly completely harmless room heating.
The content of the article:
- What does GOST and the instructions for the stove say?
-
Threats when heating a room with a stove
- Threat # 1 - the likelihood of fire or explosion
- Threat # 2 - increasing carbon monoxide concentration
- When do accidents happen?
- Procedure for identifying a hazard
- Types of punishments for heating with stoves
- Conclusions and useful video on the topic
What does GOST and the instructions for the stove say?
To understand the suitability of a gas stove for heating, it is enough immediately after connecting the device read the contents of the operating instructions.
Is the specified document lost, or is it just too lazy to look for it and delve into the necessary wording? Then you can not waste time and just trust the norms and requirements set out in the profile GOST 33998-2016. Where in section 8 it is said that each instruction attached to a household gas stove must contain a warning indicating that it is prohibited to use it for heating.
Using a gas stove for any purpose other than cooking is considered a safety violation. Moreover, no exceptions, double interpretations in this matter are allowed. This is evidenced even by the fact that today the stoves are officially called cooking appliances.
The corresponding inscription must be highlighted and begin with the word "ATTENTION!". Moreover, large letters and the presence of an exclamation mark are not accidental. Since the test must be exactly like this, otherwise it would be a violation of the law.
In addition, in accordance with the requirements set out in the above GOST, on the body of each new gas stove produced or brought to the Russian Federation must have at least one sign with a warning text similar to above.
If the gas stove is old, for example, still Soviet, then in its instructions it is quite possible that there is no information indicating that it is forbidden to warm up with its help. But the owners of such devices should know that this feature does not change anything and it is still impossible to warm up with a stove.
It should be remembered that an oven built into the stove, a grill is also considered a device designed for cooking. Therefore, they should also not be used for heating or performing any other tasks.
Modern gas stoves are divided into various subspecies, and also have additional functions. That in some cases can cause confusion and ambiguous interpretation of the terms used in profile documents.
To avoid confusion in the wording, since the entry into force of GOST 33998-2016, all types of gas stoves are called cooking appliances.
What is true about:
- built-in hobs;
- freestanding hobs;
- tabletop plates;
- built-in and free-standing plates.
Products such as the built-in grill and the built-in oven have the same status as stoves. In addition, it is forbidden to use a freestanding gas grill for heating.
That is, there are no exceptions and the stove, like other appliances included in the same category, can be used exclusively for cooking. By the way, it is forbidden not only to heat the premises, but also to use such devices for solving any other problems.
Threats when heating a room with a stove
It is no coincidence that gas stoves in all profile documents are called household appliances intended for cooking. This is done in order to clearly define the purpose of the products.
The photo shows the only correct and permissible option for using a gas stove. Since it is used for cooking, and the gas consumer is nearby and monitors the situation in order to avoid the occurrence of dangerous situations. Also, before turning on the device, it will not be superfluous to make sure that there is a draft in the smoke exhaust system and open a window
In addition, the name indicating the purpose of the device should motivate the user for the intended use. And also serve as a warning, to exclude the possibility of a double interpretation of the purpose of the slab. Moreover, both for users and other parties (for example, Gorgaz specialists, lawyers, firefighters, etc.).
If you do not want to delve into legal difficulties, but you want to understand the issue, then it is enough to remember a few important rules:
- The stoves must not be used to heat the premises;
- If rule # 1 is ignored, the gas consumer becomes a violator of fire safety rules. As a result, they can be brought to administrative or even criminal liability. This is indicated by Art. 38 of the Federal Law No. 69-ФЗ dated December 21, 1994 "On fire safety".
And then let's talk about unpleasant and dangerous situations that a violator of safety rules can get into. These include: fire and explosion hazard, as well as the impact on the body of carbon monoxide.
And every reason that makes gas dangerous should be read in detail.
Threat # 1 - the likelihood of fire or explosion
"Blue" fuel makes life more comfortable and economically beneficial. But there is also a significant drawback, which is that the use of gas is a risky procedure. For example, gas causes more accidents than electricity.
It is worth refraining from heating with a stove not so much for legal reasons, but because there is a high probability of causing significant damage to property. And not only his own. But the most important thing is that the misuse of gas appliances leads to numerous casualties. Since dozens of Russians die every year from explosions, and cases of asphyxiation lead to even greater losses
Therefore, stove users should remember that humanity has learned to consume gas relatively safely. But no more - the gas easily gets out of control. And you don't need much for this, for example, an explosion will occur when the gas concentration is insignificant. 5% of the volume of the room, and it often ends up with something on fire, which aggravates the situation.
We recommend that you familiarize yourself with causes of explosions in apartments.
If the gas concentration is higher (over 15% by volume), then a fire will occur.
When using gas appliances, you never need to be sure of the effectiveness of your ventilation system, the reliability of the stove design, since anything can happen. The credibility of statistics can be especially bad. For example, thoughts like “… a neighbor has been warming up so much for 3 years…” or “… my grandmother has been heating my apartment in this way all her life…” do not guarantee anything, but they inspire relaxation. Which leads to negligence and ignorance of fire safety requirements
Dangerous accumulation of gas in the kitchen and other rooms occurs after the flame on the stove is extinguished without shutting off the taps.
This can happen when:
- insufficient amount of air for gas combustion;
- malfunction of the stove, its incorrect operation.
Gas combustion is a reaction in which air is burnt 9.52 times more. And this is in ideal conditions. That is, under normal conditions, even more air will be needed (1.1-1.5 times the indicated 9.52). Therefore, during the active use of the stove, with ineffective operation of smoke removal systems, or in general in the absence of removal of combustion products, the reaction of gas combustion may simply stop. After that, the gas will begin to fill the volume of the kitchen and other living quarters.
And although the situation described does not happen often, gas consumers do not need to be too confident in the efficiency of their chimney.
Indeed, one unsuccessful gust of strong wind, precipitation in the form of rain, snow, frost, fog can lead to sad consequences.
In any case, the thrust becomes unstable, and in some cases it may disappear altogether. Reverse currents of air masses sometimes occur. What is called reverse thrust.
Owners of new gas appliances equipped with modern protective technologies need to be as careful when using them as people. using "vintage" units. Because the most reliable way to detect a gas leak is a gas leak detector and a person's sense of smell. But the sense of smell has never been an effective method, and the sensors are installed by a few users.
Contamination of ventilation and smoke exhaust ducts leads to a decrease in draft:
- combustion products;
- third-party dirt particles, objects.
So, if today the products of gas combustion are discharged efficiently, then this does not guarantee anything tomorrow. For example, the presence of traction must be controlled before each switching on of the stove, even if it is short-term and not intense. And over the course of several hours of active heating, conditions can change dramatically.
In addition to the "classic" version of heating with a gas stove, the Russians have come up with many others. One of them is the heating of bricks, table salt, which, according to the users' idea, should give off heat to the room. Some people find this option to be safer. But this is not so - during the heating of the bricks, the same destructive processes are started (decrease efficiency of air exchange, formation of carbon monoxide, overheating of equipment), as with conventional heating stove
Malfunction of gas stoves, their incorrect operation is also a common cause of dangerous situations.
This is how they lead:
- clogging of burners, nozzles;
- failure of protective systems;
- overheating and other problems.
Often, problems when heating any premises with a gas stove arise due to several interrelated reasons. For example, overheating can cause unauthorized changes to the device settings, incorrect operation of systems. As a result, the gas combustion process can be interrupted, and without stopping the flow of fuel.
Threat # 2 - increasing carbon monoxide concentration
The loudest and most famous accidents with gas occur due to explosions, fires, as they are heard. Still, carbon monoxide (CO, carbon monoxide) poses an even greater danger.
The reason is that this substance is deadly, even at low concentrations. So, upon reaching a level of 0.1% of the volume of the premises, residents are guaranteed to lose consciousness. And all that is left for them is to hope for outside help. There are a lot of cases when people, while still conscious and understanding what happened, but because of weakness, they could no longer eliminate the danger on their own.
And deadly CO poisoning will occur when it reaches a concentration of 0.5%, and within 20 minutes.
It should be remembered that when gas burns, especially with its active use, a large amount of carbon monoxide can be released (it should not be confused with relatively safe carbon dioxide). Even a small amount of which quickly and extremely negatively affects the body
If the level of carbon monoxide crosses the 1% mark, then it will take only 1 minute to save the victim. That is, he will have almost no chance of salvation, especially considering that with the specified CO value, people lose consciousness after taking only 2-3 gulps of such air.
Carbon monoxide is a product of incomplete combustion of gas. What happens when ineffective air exchange while heating your home with a stove. That is, when the capabilities of the smoke exhaust system were not enough.
A certain amount of carbon monoxide is released each time the flame comes into contact with substances whose surfaces are below the temperature of the combustible gas.
The situation is aggravated by the fact that carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless substance. Therefore, special devices are capable of detecting it - carbon monoxide sensors.
With the help of the device shown in the photo, one of the many “inventors” heats the water, which then gives off heat. Which, according to the author, is almost an ingenious development. But the use of such devices has led to accidents more than once.
The reason for the danger of CO is that when it gets into the body it mixes with hemoglobin and deprives it of the ability to saturate the body with oxygen.
When do accidents happen?
Accidents during heating with gas stoves in most cases occur at night. The reason is that it takes time to increase the concentration of gas in the air to dangerous levels or carbon monoxide. And it is when the tenants are resting.
That is, in the dark, the likelihood is reduced that the owners of gas equipment will suspect something is wrong and stop heating. Or neighbors, random people, who happened to be nearby in time, will not come to help. This happens quite often. when a gas leak occurs, the presence of which is determined by a characteristic odor.
Gas consumers who violate fire safety rules, especially on a regular basis, need to be aware that they are socially dangerous. Therefore, the legislation allows gas companies, other gas distribution organizations, when revealing the facts of heating housing with the help of appliances intended for cooking, immediately terminate the service contract with the subsequent termination of supply gas
This means that by eliminating heating with a stove at night during the rest of all family members, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of an accident, destruction or damage to property. But this is not a panacea, since many incidents are known that have occurred at any other time of the day.
It is also important if a plate breakage is found, immediately contact service organization, with which you have entered into an agreement, so that a specialist can quickly detect and fix the breakdown. The use of faulty gas equipment is prohibited by law.
Procedure for identifying a hazard
If you suspect a concentration of gas or carbon monoxide in the housing, a number of actions must be taken.
Namely:
- Turn off the gas stove. Why it is necessary to turn off the taps;
- Open wide windows, doors for the purpose of airing the room. That can eliminate the danger in a matter of minutes;
- Report the incident to the duty services of the Gorgaz (raigas). For which you need to dial 104 (04) or 112.
If necessary, notify other residents, neighbors and organize their evacuation.
It must be remembered that knowledge of the signs of acute poisoning with inappropriate use of gas appliances can save the lives of relatives, friends or just neighbors.
Knowledge of basic signs of CO poisoning can save lives. So, the first of them is a decrease in the speed of psychomotor reactions. Which is often accompanied by a rush of blood to the head. People with heart disease may additionally experience severe tingling sensations, similar to those experienced with significant physical exertion. Then there is a headache, a pounding in the temples.
All of the listed signs of poisoning should be remembered if only due to the fact that with their prompt identification, the situation can be corrected. If the victim does not use the chance, then there will be middle stage poisoning with possible motor paralysis. In which a person will still be conscious, but he will not be able to do anything, and then a loss of consciousness occurs.
Therefore, upon finding victims of carbon monoxide exposure, they must be immediately moved to a safe place. That is, into the fresh air, where you need to take off the embarrassing clothes from a person and cover. This is usually the only thing that can be done before the medics arrive. Which, by the way, must be called immediately.
Types of punishments for heating with stoves
Our country periodically experiences all kinds of crises, cataclysms, which affects the quality of service. As a result, the townsfolk came up with a lot of options for using gas stoves for other purposes.
For example, stoves are used not only to heat the air, but also to heat bricks, salt in the oven, and more. All of these devices are then moved to living quarters and used to raise the temperature. You can also get information about such a method as heating a large container of water to a boil. After that, the gas turns off, and the water gives off heat to the air in the living room for a long time.
Improper use of the gas stove. Immediately after receiving the relevant information upon receipt of a report of such a violation, for example, after a call neighbor to the gas service, the procedure for disconnecting the consumer from the centralized system can be initiated gas supply
Do not deceive yourself and risk your lives. Since there are no completely safe options for heating a room with a stove. The reason is that accidents are not caused by gas, but by ignorance. rules for safe use. Consumers simply leave the stoves uncontrolled (which in itself is prohibited), forget about them, and fall asleep. Which leads to accidents.
This feature has been taken into account by the legislators, therefore, any heating method is considered prohibited, since this is not the intended use of the stove.
Violators of fire safety measures should remember that legislation provides for various fines for their actions. For example, in Administrative Code there are more than a dozen articles on which they can be sanctioned.
But the most severe types of punishments for heating with stoves and its consequences are spelled out in the domestic The Criminal Code. So in Article 168 which said that for a violation that led to damage to property, they can impose sanctions in the form of a fine of up to 120 thousand rubles. In addition, the culprit is allowed to restrict freedom for a period of one year.
And in Art. 219 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation talks about punishments for violation of fire safety measures that have harmed human health. For such an act, a large fine is provided (up to 80 thousand rubles). rubles), and if the case is difficult, then an amateur to bask with a stove can be imprisoned. And for not the shortest period (up to 3 years). When the violator's actions led to the death of people, he can be brought to forced labor for many years (up to 5 years) or imprisoned for an impressive period (up to 7 years).
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
The information presented in the first video will help to timely identify signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Unfortunately, today a lot of information has been posted on the network that confuses gas consumers, which is fraught with consequences. An example of this would be the following video, where firefighters try to sell appliances that should not be used.
Heating an apartment or any other room with a gas stove is a dangerous procedure, so it can be argued that in this case the end does not justify the means. It is cheaper, more reliable and more practical to purchase some kind of specialized unit (for example, choose a suitable heater: electric, infrared, micathermic, oil or make a homemade product). Such a solution, and it is quite safe, will really help to increase the comfort of living.
Do you disagree that the stove cannot be heated and that this is a rather dangerous activity? Or do you know real-life examples when people have suffered from the misuse of household appliances for cooking? Express your opinion in the comments block, ask questions, participate in the discussion.
