Indoor Natural Gas Leaks

A natural gas leak can be extremely dangerous if it occurs indoors and the gas in trapped within the structure. Although rare, once a gas leak occurs it only takes spark to cause an explosion, that could potentially fatally injury someone in the home and cause astronomical damage to the home. When the gas leak is inside the home, it is usually the homeowner’s responsibility to have it repaired.

Once a gas leak is noticed, the first thing to do is to remove everyone from the home and call the gas company. The gas to the home will need to be shutoff before the leak can be found and repaired. This will require a pluming company that is specialized in gas leak detection.

Plumbers with gas leak expertise can quickly find the location of the leak inside the home using highly sensitive tools for gas leak detection. These tools allow the plumber to find the exact spot where gas is leaking and make the repair on the spot, replacing the pipe, valve or other components to make the home safe again.

In some cases, a leak may be within the walls of the home, requiring removal of a part of the interior wall or structure. However, plumbers will only remove these elements if necessary and will try to keep the damage to a minimum.

Once the repair is complete, it will be tested to ensure that it can safely handle the pressure of gas without leaking. When it is certified as safe, the gas company can be contacted to turn the gas back on and the homeowner’s can return to their house.

Posted on behalf of:
Kiddco Plumbing Inc
Sterling, VA
(703) 435-4441

Home Gas Safety Tips

If your home is heated by gas or you have gas-powered appliances, you need to be aware of how to prevent and detect gas leaks.  A small leak can create a big explosion, potentially destroying your home and putting your family at risk. Although gas is a safe way to heat your home, there is always the potential for a leak to occur. Here are some safety tips to educate you and your family on using gas as an energy source:

  • Never dig where there may be gas lines. Gas lines are usually located underground in your yard. Never dig without contacting your gas company first to find out exactly where your gas lines are located. Many gas companies will come out and ‘flag’ your gas lines for you or your excavating contractor to help prevent accidental gas line damage.
  • Be aware of strange smells. One of the most noticeable signs of a gas leak is the “rotten egg” smell. Natural gas is odorless but a sulphur agent is added to give it a distinct odor. Call your utility company right away if you smell gas to have your gas lines shut off.
  • Dead vegetation or grass. If there is a gas leak underground, the grass and other plant life above it may suddenly die or wilt. You also may see air, which is really gas, coming up out of the ground. Call your gas company immediately!

If you ever suspect you have a gas leak, first call your utility company to complete an emergency shut off on your gas lines. Be careful not to ignite anything in your home or around the gas leak. Once the gas is turned off, call your local plumbing company that specializes in gas leak repair to have the problem resolved.

Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(678) 873-7934

Use All Your Senses to Detect a Gas Leak

If you use natural gas as an energy source in your home, you should always be aware of the dangers of a gas leak. Although rare, a small leak could put you, your home and family in grave danger. Not only is gas toxic, it can cause an explosion that could be a devastating tragedy for your family. It is important to know how to use all your senses to notice signs that you may have a gas leak in or around your home. Teach everyone in your family what a gas leak may look, smell and sound like to avoid a disaster. 

Signs of a Gas Leak

If you have a gas leak, there may be signs you can see both inside and outside your home. Keep an eye out for:

  • Inside your home. Is there debris, water or dirt that appears to being blown into your home? This can be coming from a leak in a gas line. The gas may be invisible but other debris can be coming out into the air with the gas.
  • Outside your home. Gas lines generally run under your lawn or yard to reach the main supply source. If there are dead patches in your lawn or vegetation above where these line run, a gas leak may be below.

You also may hear the sound of a gas leak. A hissing or whistling sound can be what you hear when gas is escaping from a pipe.

One of the most reliable and noticeable signs of a gas leak is the door. The sulfur-like smell is very distinctive, but not everyone can smell this odor, so looking and listening are also key.

If you think you have a gas leak, you need to evacuate the home immediately and call 911 or your gas company. To have the gas leak repaired, local plumber specializing in gas leak repair are the professionals to call.

Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(678) 873-7934

Gas Line Repairs

Natural gas is a very popular fuel used in commercial, industrial and residential building throughout the United States.  The residential uses of natural gas include heating, cooking and producing hot water. The “rotten egg” smell associated with natural gas is actually sulfur added to the gas to allow people to recognize its presence, as natural gas is odorless.  The reason being that natural gas is very flammable and can be explosive if allowed to collect in a confined space and then is exposed to a flame or a spark.

Typically the gas company runs a line to the outside of the home, where a meter is installed and it is connected to the gas distribution inside of the home.  While the gas company in many cases is responsible for maintaining the gas line up to the meter, the property owner is responsible for the maintenance and repairs of the lines inside of the property.

Whenever a person smells natural gas, the first thing to do is call the gas company or 911 and wait until the gas company arrives to turn off the gas at the meter and determine if the gas leak is inside or outside of the home.  If inside of the home a plumbing contractor, who is trained in gas distribution systems and is familiar with all state codes, will need to be brought in to pinpoint the leak using specialized detection meters.  Once located, they will make the necessary repairs coordinate with the gas company to have gas service restored.  It is important to realize that gas leaks can be very serious if not addressed properly and their repair require the attention of professionals trained in gas systems.

Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(678) 873-7934

Natural Gas Leaks Inside Of The Home

Natural gas is a very efficient and economical energy source, but is dangerous when it leaks and the gas builds up inside a structure.  A random spark could cause an explosion, which could injure or kill people, as well as damage property.  Natural gas leaks can occur both outside of the structure and inside of the structure.  In most cases the gas company will fix the leak if it is on the street side of the gas meter, but the homeowner will be responsible for correcting the problem if it is on the house side of the meter.

In addition, due to the danger, if it is on the house side of the meter, the gas company will turn off the gas and lock the meter until an experienced plumbing contractor makes repairs.  In many jurisdictions the plumber is required to have specialized training in working with natural gas supply systems.

In most cases it is not difficult for the plumbing contractor’s technician to determine the location of the gas leak inside of the home due to available technology, which includes highly sensitive gas leak detection tools that allow the technician to pinpoint the exact location of the leak.  Once the leak is located, the necessary repairs will be made to the pipe, valve or coupling.

If it is necessary to open up areas in a wall or ceiling to gain access to the leak, every effort will be made to minimize the damage.   In many cases, the natural gas distribution system will be pressurized to verify that the repair is holding.  Once satisfied with the repair, the contractor will coordinate with the gas company to have the gas service restored and make sure that all gas appliances are operational.

Posted on behalf of Kiddco Plumbing

Gas Leaks

Natural gas and propane are two common energy sources used in homes for heating, cooking, and water heating.  Natural gas is essentially propane combined with a few other gasses.  Natural gas is lighter than propane and has less of a tendency to collect near ground level, but for all practical purposes natural gas and propane do about the same thing.

Natural gas is usually delivered to a home through a pipeline from your local utility company.  Propane is easier to compress and store and is most commonly delivered by a truck that fills a storage tank located next to your home.

Propane and natural gas are wonderful energy sources for heating, cooking, clothes drying, and water heating, but can be very dangerous if a leak develops.  Gas leaks are rare, but they do happen.  Propane and natural gas have an additive that makes them have a sulfur or rotten egg smell.

If you smell or even suspect a gas leak, leave the house immediately.  Do not flip any switches and wait until you are outside the home to call 911.  Don’t go back into the house until it is safe to do so.  The next step is to locate the source of the leak and have it repaired.  Emergency personnel or the utility company will turn off the gas supply to your home, but they don’t repair most gas leaks.

Many plumbing contractors handle gas leak repairs.  They use specialized leak detection equipment to locate the source of the leak without causing unnecessary damage to your walls.  Once the leak is located, your plumber can take care of any necessary repairs.