What the ECV must give a user: reach, a fixed handle, a notice, an AECV where needed, and the safe way to use it if you smell gas.
Why a fast, obvious shut-off matters
Natural gas has no smell of its own. An odorant is added to the gas distributed to UK homes so that even a small escape gives a distinctive warning smell. That warning tells people to get out and report the escape, and it helps most when anyone in the property can also shut the gas off quickly and safely, which is what the emergency control valve (ECV) is for.
What the ECV must give the user
- readily accessible, wherever the meter is sited
- operable by hand
- a key, lever or handwheel securely attached to the valve spindle, not a loose key or tool that can be mislaid
- clearly showing its open and shut positions
- an emergency notice close by, saying how to turn the gas off and which number to call
On a lever ECV, the handle in line with the pipe means open, and across the pipe means shut. A quarter turn closes this type. If the lever moves vertically rather than only horizontally, its fully downward position must shut off the gas.
Where the ECV itself cannot be reached
Some installations put the ECV somewhere occupants cannot get to, such as a locked communal riser serving several flats. In that case, an additional emergency control valve (AECV) is fitted in a position residents can reach, clearly labelled, with its own emergency notice, so nobody has to wait for a locked door before isolating their own supply.
Remote control is a separate function
An Elster BK meter's optional internal valve lets the responsible operator disconnect and reconnect the supply remotely under its safe operating arrangements. The manufacturer says it is not a safety shut-off valve. It is not automatic over-pressure protection, and it does not replace the accessible, hand-operated ECV: being able to stop the gas does not mean it acts safely when something goes wrong.
If you suspect a gas escape
- Turn the ECV off, but only if you can reach it safely without entering the affected area.
- Leave the property and get everyone else out too.
- Call the gas emergency service from a safe place.
- Avoid naked flames and electrical switches on the way out.
- Never go into a cellar, basement or other affected area just to reach the valve.
Closing the ECV stops incoming gas reaching the installation downstream. It does not remove gas already released, and a fault on the incoming side may keep leaking. Stay out until the emergency has been dealt with.
Points that catch people out
- A missing handle or notice lets down the person who needs the ECV in an emergency: without a securely attached handle, the valve may not be quick to turn off.
- Locked communal riser: think AECV, not "the ECV is just further away".
- Smell of gas: turn off the ECV only if it is safely reachable, then leave and call.