The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) has warned that households making small changes to heating systems to cut costs may inadvertently put themselves at risk of burn and scald injuries. The warning, issued ahead of National Burn Awareness Day on 12 October, cites NHS Digital Hospital Episode Statistics for England, Admitted Patient Care 2021-221.
Kevin Wellman, chief executive of CIPHE, said households removing radiator covers or moving furniture to expose radiators and hot pipework may open up the potential for contact burns, particularly where young, elderly or disabled occupants live. He said radiators, towel warmers and central heating pipes can reach temperatures high enough to cause a burn if touched, and that hot bath water is responsible for the highest number of fatal and severe scalding injuries among young children1.
"Those taking steps to enhance their heating system efficiency, such as removing radiator covers, or moving furniture to expose radiators (and therefore hot pipework), may open up the potential for heating system contact burns, especially in households with young, elderly or disabled occupants."
There were 863 admissions for burn injuries caused by contact with heating appliances, radiators and pipes, up nearly 6% on the previous year. Of the heating appliance burn finished consultant episodes, 748, nearly 83%, were emergencies. Babies and children aged 0 to 14 made up nearly 27% of finished consultant episodes for heating system contact burns, while those over 70 made up 39%1.
| Measure | 2021-22 figure | Change on previous year |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions, contact burns from heating appliances, radiators and pipes | 863 | Up nearly 6% |
| Heating appliance burn episodes classed as emergencies | 748 (nearly 83%) | Not reported |
| Admissions, scald injuries from taps | 668 | Up nearly 11% |
| Tap scald episodes classed as emergencies | 578 (nearly 82%) | Not reported |
On tap scalds, children aged 0 to 14 accounted for 35% of finished consultant episodes and those over 70 accounted for 22%. Over the last nine years there have been over 57,000 finished consultant episodes bed days linked to incidents involving hot water taps, heating appliances, radiators and pipes1.
CIPHE said measures include running the cold water tap before the hot tap when filling a bath, fitting Thermostatic Mixing Valves (TMVs) that mix water to a safe controlled temperature at the outlet, and making exposed hot appliances, radiators or pipework safe. It also said yearly servicing of gas appliances should continue so they work safely and effectively for the winter ahead, and raised concern that households unable to afford system checks and maintenance may face a higher risk of serious system failure1.
Why it matters for households
Steps taken to cut heating costs, such as exposing radiators and pipework, change what a household can come into contact with day to day. The hospital data shows contact burns from heating appliances, radiators and pipes rose nearly 6% year on year, and that children and older people account for most of those episodes. Tap scalds rose nearly 11%, with hot bath water identified as the leading cause of fatal and severe scalding among young children1.
For a home's energy independence, the warning sits alongside the practical work of running a heating system safely: exposed pipework and uncovered radiators are part of the same system that home heating and energy independence depends on, and TMVs and servicing are covered by the standards set out in Building Regulations for Heating Systems. CIPHE said the vast majority of incidents could have been avoided1.
What happens next
National Burn Awareness Day falls on 12 October. CIPHE said yearly servicing of gas appliances should continue for the winter ahead, and that servicing of TMVs is essential even in times of financial uncertainty1. No further dated steps have been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Households warned about heating hacks | CIPHE, ciphe.org.uk