Victorian regulators will move to ban the sale of open-flue gas heaters, currently believed to be in hundreds of thousands of homes in Australia, after a woman died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Key points: 33 models of open-flue gas heater to be phased out

33 models of open-flue gas heater to be phased out Brands affected include Rinnai, Regency, and Braemar

Brands affected include Rinnai, Regency, and Braemar Hundreds of thousands of open-flue gas heaters believed to be in Australian homes

The move by Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) follows the death of Sonia Sofianopoulos, who was killed last July when carbon monoxide leaked from her Vulcan Heritage gas heater in her Melbourne public housing unit.

A coronial inquest into the 62-year-old's death began today.

The court was told that after Ms Sofianopolous's death, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) contracted plumbers carried out tests on all the gas heaters in the 16-unit complex where she lived, and found nothing wrong with 13 of them.

However, when Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) returned and did its own testing at the end of November 2017, it found all of the Vulcan Heritage heaters were emitting dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

It condemned all of the heaters immediately.

Ms Sofianopolous's neighbour, Eileen Kelly, told the court she had been suffering from high carbon monoxide levels in her blood in 2016, as revealed by the ABC.

She had her gas heater checked twice by the DHHS' contracted plumbing service, but they told her nothing was wrong.

The court also heard the DHHS has only been servicing gas heaters in its housing stock every five years — despite recommendations from ESV they be checked every two years.

In March, the DHHS changed its policy and now checks the heaters every two years.

Residents urged to get heaters checked

Nineteen open-flue gas heaters are currently being sold in Australia, from faux-log gas fires to more traditional looking space heaters.

Brands that will be affected by the phase out include Rinnai, Regency, and Braemar.

Vulcan Heritage and Pyrox model heaters have been subject to a safety notice from ESV since Ms Sofianopoulos's death.

People are being urged not to use the heaters until they have been checked by a qualified gasfitter.

ESV chief executive Paul Fearon said at least one other model of open-flue gas heater was causing concern.

Heater advice: Energy Safe Victoria says if you have a Vulcan Heritage or Pyrox Heritage heater, you should not use it until it is tested by a qualified gasfitter

Energy Safe Victoria says if you have a Vulcan Heritage or Pyrox Heritage heater, you should not use it until it is tested by a qualified gasfitter If you have one of these heaters, call the manufacturer, Climate Technologies on 03 8795 2462 to arrange testing

If you have one of these heaters, call the manufacturer, Climate Technologies on 03 8795 2462 to arrange testing If you live in DHHS housing, call 1800 148 426

"We have done further testing — detailed testing — of three other models, one of which is giving us cause for concern and we're in further discussions with the manufacturer," he said.

"If we find that there is a systemic safety risk issue for the public, I am very prepared to use my powers to put in place a temporary ban and make the necessary recommendations to government."

ESV would not disclose the model it was most concerned about.

Open-flue heaters work by using air from the room to feed the flames.

The carbon monoxide that is then produced should be drawn up the flue and outside the home.

But in certain conditions it can leak back into the room.

Energy Safe Victoria has issued advice on heater safety. ( Energy Safe Victoria )

The heaters are meant to be used in large, draughty spaces, where the carbon monoxide can dissipate.

But if they are installed in smaller, well-sealed spaces, and in homes where powerful exhaust fans are present, they can become potentially deadly.

"There are many, many factors that can come together that can make [open-flue gas heaters] a vulnerable technology with potentially fatal outcomes," Mr Fearon said.

"The bottom line is that there is a growing consensus that … open-flued heaters are incompatible with modern energy-efficient homes.

"There are many other good alternatives: closed room systems, and split systems … and I think industry also are starting to come to that conclusion as well."

'A great level of complacency'

Mr Fearon said another risk factor is the lack of compulsory training for gas-fitters on how to carry out carbon monoxide testing on gas heaters in Victoria.

Eileen Kelly is being treated for pulmonary fibrosis after carbon monoxide was detected in her blood in 2016. ( ABC News: Michael Barnett )

Despite this, Mr Fearon said the best way for people to ensure their heaters were safe this winter was to have them serviced by a qualified gasfitter, who was trained in the latest carbon monoxide testing techniques.

"What we're finding is still there is a great level of complacency in the community about servicing," he said.

"The servicing is critical not only so they can identify issues with the heater but the installation, the ventilation and negative pressure from fans."

ESV recommends gas heaters be checked every two years.

There is no way of knowing how many open-flue heaters are in Australia, but ESV estimates it to be hundreds of thousands.

It said there were about 50,000 Vulcan Heritage and Pyrox heaters in Australia.

ESV said its move to stop the production of open-flue heaters would not involve a recall of heaters already in homes, unless the particular heaters were found to be faulty or dangerous when placed under certain conditions in laboratory tests.

It defended the decision not to recall the Heritage Vulcan and Pyrox heaters, saying its widespread advertising campaign about the safety risks had achieved the same outcome.

"There is no more decisive action that you can take other than to be inspired in knowing where every single heater is, and we don't. That is the problem," Mr Fearon said.

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