Natural gas is an efficient and inexpensive fuel source that provides households with heat. It is also useful for cooking food, drying clothes, and warming the water in your shower/sinks. However, improper installation and maintenance could become a danger to your property. This is the reason why you need to only rely on professionals to handle this to ensure that it’s always safe for everyone in your household to use.
To ensure it’s always safe in your home, you can check these signs if you suspect there’s a gas leak.
The smell of rotten eggs
In its natural state, natural gas is odorless and colorless. To make gas leaks easier to detect, gas companies add chemicals called odorants to create a natural gas smell similar to sulfur or rotting eggs. The stronger this smell, the more likely it is that you have a gas leak. You may get a slight whiff of this smell when turning on an older gas grill, but most energy-efficient grills made in the last 15 years should not produce an odor.
Hissing sounds
Large gas leaks in pipes or appliances may produce hissing noises, even if the appliance is turned off. Check pipes and appliances regularly, listening for any hissing noises. Source: Constellation
The soapy water test
A simple soap and water test can easily determine if a gas leak is present. All that is needed is a mixture of soapy water in a spray bottle or brush to cover any area where gas piping might exist. If there are pin-hole leaks in the pipe, bubbles should form near the leakage area when the soap and water mixture is applied to the piping, thus indicating the presence of a gas leak and allowing you to get it fixed before it causes any harm.
Air bubbles in mud or puddles
Natural gas leaks can occur in the pipes underneath the ground. If you notice bubbles in any wet areas around your home, it may signify natural gas is leaking into the ground. These leaks can occur due to excessive pressure in a pipeline, often caused by a blockage in one of your pipes. Pipes can also break due to human behavior, such as digging. If you’re planning on landscaping around your home, have the gas lines marked to avoid this problem. Source: Hope Plumbing
Carbon monoxide detectors
Early warning of a gas leak can be vital to avoid serious consequences, so the best approach is always a proactive one. Instead of diagnosing signs of a leak, monitor your home for the elevated levels of carbon monoxide that would indicate air quality problems and alert you to danger long before you risk exposure.
Gas leaks aren’t the only source of potentially dangerous fumes in the home. Generators used with improper ventilation indoors are a leading cause of carbon monoxide poisoning, especially during peak storm season in the fall and winter months.
Carbon monoxide detectors, while not designed to detect the presence of gas specifically, can alert you to potentially hazardous levels of air quality occurring in your home. Source: SafeWise
We hope that you’ll act as soon as you spot these signs. If ever you need a professional to fix the gas leak, you can get in touch with us, and we’ll handle the situation for you.
