Gas leaks are unfortunately common in American households. Like plumbing pipes, gas pipes get old and spring leaks. Gas-powered appliances also grow old or may have been installed incorrectly. Gas can also leak when pipes are damaged due to a natural disaster. If you use gas to power the systems in your home, you’ll need to know how to find a gas leak. This information can keep members of your household healthy and safe.
How to Find a Gas Leak: Physical Signs and Symptoms
Smells and Sounds
The gas you use in your home actually has no smell. A chemical called mercaptan is added to give it that unmistakable rotten egg stench. If you smell that odor, assume that you have a gas leak and act accordingly.
However, your sense of smell isn’t the only sense you can use to detect a gas leak. A steady hissing sound from around a gas-powered appliance, a gas pipe or a gas meter is another sign of a leak.
Physical Symptoms of a Gas Leak
Gas leaks can even make your plants sick. You may notice that your houseplants are turning yellow or dying even though there’s been no change in the way you care for them, the level of sunlight they receive or anything else that used to keep them healthy. If the leak is outside, you may notice that your trees and other outdoor plants are starting to wilt. This is because gas displaces the oxygen your plants need.
A gas leak can also make you and members of your household sick for the same reasons it makes your plants sick. It displaces the oxygen you need. Symptoms of possible gas poisoning include bad headaches, nausea, a feeling that you’re suffocating and brain fog.
Gas Leak Detection: Signs in the Environment
Bubbly Mud Puddles
If the gas leak is from a pipe buried beneath the ground, you’ll see bubbles form in areas of standing water or mud. These bubbles can occur because there’s too much pressure in the pipe or because the pipe has been broken. Call your plumber to check this out if you notice it.
The Soap Bubble Test
Even the tiniest holes in a pipe can leak gas. One interesting method of gas leak detection is to paint a gas pipe with soapy water. If bubbles form, there’s most likely a gas leak.
What to Do if You Think There’s a Gas Leak
First, you should turn off the gas at the source. If you can’t find the source, turn off all pilot lights in your appliances. Do not use your phone or turn on an electrical appliance. Open the windows, get out of the house and move at least 350 feet away. Only then should you call 911 or your utility company.
Call Us for Gas Leak Detection
Don’t take chances with gas leaks. If you suspect that you need gas line services on your property, our professionals at Assurance Power Systems in Delray Beach, FL are here to make sure your home is safe and secure.
